Karekare Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's settle in and have a look at what's coming down the pipe for Karekare. It's a bit of a wild ride over the next fortnight, with some serious power and some tricky winds to navigate.

We start off this Saturday, July 25th, with the ocean in a bad mood. A massive 20-foot WSW swell is roaring in with a 12-second period, but the wind is screaming. Morning gusts of 25 mph from the WSW and afternoon near-gale force 31 mph from the same direction will have the place completely blown out and messy. The combined wave energy is off the charts, but it's a total write-off for surfing. Karekare is an exposed beach, and with that kind of wind and size (over 8 feet), it's a no-go.

Sunday, July 26th, the swell drops to a still-considerable 13 feet, but the wind changes. A light northerly breeze in the morning keeps things a bit messy, but by the afternoon, a light SSE cross-offshore wind at 6 mph cleans it up beautifully. We're looking at a 14-second WSW groundswell with a solid energy reading. However, the forecast warns it's predicted to be too big for this break. Over 8 feet, this is strictly for experts only. The water temp is about average for the season, sitting at 57°F.

Monday, July 27th, sees the swell backing off to 10 feet in the morning and 8 feet in the afternoon. The wind is a moderate S and SW, keeping it a bit choppy. Still too big for most, and the energy is still high.

The first real window of opportunity opens up on Tuesday, July 28th. The swell drops to a more manageable 6 feet from the WSW, with a 12-second period. The real winner is the wind: a light SE breeze in the morning, turning to a light SSW cross-on in the afternoon. The morning is the call, with clean conditions and a solid energy reading. This is where the fun starts for intermediate surfers.

Wednesday, July 29th, is a smaller day with 4-foot swell, but the wind is light and cross-offshore in the morning, making for some clean, albeit small, waves.

The standout session for the first week looks to be Thursday, July 30th. A clean 6-foot WSW swell with a 13-second period, combined with a light NE cross-offshore wind, delivers excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is the best quality on offer in the early part of the forecast.

We then hit a few days of marginal conditions with building winds into Friday, July 31st, and the first weekend of August. The swell stays around 5 to 8 feet, but the wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, keeping the quality down.

The next real standout is a full week away, on Sunday, August 2nd. A 6-foot SW swell with a 12-second period arrives with a gentle offshore breeze from the East at 9 mph. The forecast calls it "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and with a solid energy reading, this is a promising day. The offshore wind will make for clean, lined-up waves.

But hold onto your boards, because Monday, August 3rd, brings another massive pulse. A 15-foot SW swell with a 19-second period and huge energy is a monster. The wind is moderate cross-onshore, so it's blown out and dangerous. This is a big-time, expert-only event. The next few days after that, into August 5th and 6th, remain large with long-period WSW swell (over 8 feet) and periods of 14-16 seconds. The wind does go offshore (E/ENE) on Tuesday, August 4th, and Wednesday, August 5th, which will make for some big, powerful, clean waves. The forecast for Tuesday morning says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" with an 8-foot swell and a 16-second period, making it a very promising, though heavy, day.

From Thursday, August 6th, onward, the swell drops away significantly, down to 4 feet and then barely a ripple by the second weekend. The wind is mostly cross-offshore, keeping things clean, but the energy is low. The final few days of the forecast are small and weak, making it a quiet end to the period.

Best Bets:
- Thursday, July 30th is your best bet for quality, clean, fun waves in the 6-foot range.
- Sunday, August 2nd offers the best offshore wind and solid swell for experienced surfers.
- Tuesday, August 4th could be a big, clean, powerful day for experts only.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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