Kalapaki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s chew the fat on what’s happening down at Kalapaki Beach for the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, this is a tough forecast to swallow. The first ten or eleven days are a write-off for any kind of quality surf. The wind is just relentless, blowing cross-onshore or cross-shore from the ENE most of the time, and it’s chopping up what little wave energy we get. The combined swell energy is mostly in that moderate zone, bouncing around the 400 to 800 mark, but with poor to marginal conditions tagged on every session. From July 12th all the way through to about July 22nd, I wouldn't bother dragging your board out. The setup looks way more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddler, with those steady winds and short-period windswell.

For the first few days, starting Sunday the 12th, we have rain showers and an ENE breeze at 15 mph blowing cross-on. The swell is a messy 7 ft but with a short period of just 7 seconds – a proper windswell that's all bump and no push. Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th don’t get any better either.

Water temp here at Kalapaki is a warm 79°F, right about average for this time of year, so at least you won't be cold while you're getting frustrated.

The only glimmer of hope, and I mean the *only* standout across this whole 16-day run, shows up on Sunday, July 26th and Monday, July 27th. It’s a long way off, so treat it with caution, but the models are trying to line something up. We finally get a proper long-period groundswell from the East with a period of 15 seconds. On Sunday afternoon, the combined energy hits a strong 1034 – the biggest number in the whole forecast. The swell sits at a fun 3 ft, and while the wind is still cross-shore from the ENE at 12-15 mph, it’s not onshore, so it can work. For a reef setup like Kalapaki, that long period from the East will wrap in nicely, even if the optimum swell is from the SSE. Just be prepared for a crowd – this spot can get busy, especially when a window finally opens up.

The days before that, from July 22nd to 25th, are tiny south swells with a side-shore breeze that just can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. No dice.

So here’s the take: for the next week and a half, leave the board at home. The only reason to get excited, and it's a *maybe*, is that window on July 26th and 27th when that East groundswell hits. It’s the best of a bad bunch, but keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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