Waiaha Rivermouth / Honls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the local surf outlook for the next 16 days.

We’re looking at a run of small, clean, long-period SSW groundswell at Waiaha Rivermouth / Honls. It’s a pretty mellow stretch, not a lot of size, but there’s a real standout window that’s worth setting an alarm for. The water temperature is unremarkable for this time of year, nothing unusual going on there.

The first proper session to lock in is the early morning of Monday, 7th September. The swell is coming in at 3ft from the SSW with a very long period of 17 seconds, and the combined swell energy is a solid moderate 579. That’s a groundswell that’ll wrap in nicely. The wind is glassy, dead calm, so the surface will be silky smooth. This is an advanced reef break, so it’s suited to experienced surfers. The long period means the sets will be a bit lazy, with longer waits between them, but when they come, they’ll have real shape and power. The optimum swell direction is a perfect match for what’s rolling in. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

The afternoon of the 7th holds up with a similar 3ft swell from the SSW, 17-second period, and even stronger combined energy of 624 (moderate). More glassy conditions. That’s the best on offer, plain and simple.

Before that, we have a few days of surfable but ordinary waves. Thursday afternoon, 3rd September, will see a shift to glassy conditions with 3ft S swell at 14 seconds, but the energy is low (254). Doable, but not special.

A bit of a wildcard pops up on Saturday afternoon, 5th September. There’s a jump in swell height to 5ft from the S, but the period drops to a short 10 seconds, and there’s a risk of thunderstorms. The wind is cross-offshore and clean though, and combined energy is moderate at 432. It’s a bit more walled-up and lumpy, but for the more experienced crew, it could offer some punchy, if not perfectly shaped, waves.

The rest of the forecast is dominated by small, marginal surf. The combined energy drops into the 100-200 range, and the swell is often under 2ft. There’s a long gap from the 8th of September onward with very little to recommend. Tuesday morning, 14th September, has a very long period of 21 seconds but only 1ft of swell, which is just too weak to do much. The entire second week is a write-off for quality waves.

The best bet is clear: Monday, 7th September at Waiaha Rivermouth / Honls. Glassy, long-period groundswell, and the right direction. Get it while it’s there.

- Rusty

Read more