Waiaha Rivermouth / Honls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got one spot to focus on, and it’s a bit of a specialist wave. The swell is going to be very small for the entire forecast, so we’re looking at a long period groundswell that’s barely breaking. For the first few days, the conditions are just too marginal to get excited about, with a lot of cross-onshore wind and barely enough energy to push the thing through. The water temperature is running about average for the time of year, nothing wild there.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are a write-off – tiny 2ft swell with cross-onshore winds and a combined energy reading in the low 200s (214). That’s weak, and the tide is going to be a factor. The long period of 16 seconds is the only thing giving it a pulse, but it’s not enough for this exposed reef.

The real window starts to open up a bit around Thursday the 27th of August. The morning sees a slight bump to 3ft from the SSW with a 16-second period and combined energy moving into the moderate range (646). The wind is still cross-onshore, but it’s a light breeze, so it might be worth a paddle if you’re a patient, advanced surfer looking for a clean, walled-up line. This is a reef break, so that long period energy is going to wrap in nicely, but don’t expect a lot of volume.

Skip the end of the month; the 30th and 31st stay tiny. However, the standout is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. The swell is only 2ft, but the wind goes glassy. That’s right, dead calm. The energy is still moderate (265), but with a 13-second period from the SSW, the sets will be clean and lined up. For a specialized wave like this, glassy conditions are gold. It’s not going to be big, but it will be your best chance for a smooth, clean ride. It’s an advanced break though, and it does get crowded sometimes, so get in early.

Heading into the first week of September, the 1st and 2nd get blown out by strong winds. The 2nd of September afternoon shows a brief window of clean cross-off wind with a 3ft SSW swell and 15-second period, and combined energy hitting 443. That’s a solid moderate pulse, but the wind is a gentle breeze on the nose, so wave faces will be clean. Still, the crowds are a factor here.

The very last day of the forecast, Saturday the 5th of September morning, is another glassy moment with 2ft, 19-second period, and strong energy (343). That’s a very long period groundswell, which will be slow and powerful, but glassy conditions make it a real possibility for the dedicated surfer. It’s a long-range call, so keep an eye on it.

Overall, there’s no big swell here, but a couple of glassy windows for the dedicated few. The 29th of August morning is the pick of the bunch.

Rusty.

Read more