Karekare Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Karekare. We're in for a bit of a wild ride, with some serious, powerful swells rolling through, but you've got to pick your moments. The water's sitting at a comfortable 59°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises there.

The first few days are a write-off, honestly. The action kicks off Thursday morning, but it's not good news. We've got a massive 13ft SW groundswell, with a long 16-second period, pushing in. The combined energy is a whopping 7294, and while the wind is cross-off, this swell is just too big for this break. It's the same story Thursday afternoon, 13ft and 7115, with a stronger cross-off. This is expert territory at best, and even then, it's a grim paddle. Friday's not much better, with a drop in size but messy cross-shore winds and a drop in form. We're looking at a few days of this, so hold tight.

The first real standout window hits on Saturday the 11th, morning. The swell has dropped to a more manageable 7ft from the SW, with a nice 15-second period. The wind is light offshore from the East, and the whole thing is clean. The energy is still strong at 3109, but it's a far cry from the chaos of the last few days. This is excellent for experienced surfers. Saturday afternoon is even cleaner, with a 6ft SW swell and glassy conditions. This is the pick of the early run.

Sunday the 12th keeps the good vibes going with a clean 7ft SW swell and offshore winds, and Monday the 13th sees the swell drop to a more friendly 5ft, still clean. This is a solid run of quality surf.

Now, we hit a bit of a flat spot. Tuesday and Wednesday see the winds turn onshore and the quality drops right off. It's a couple of days of nothing much.

The next notable window is Friday the 17th. The morning has a clean 7ft SW swell with offshore winds, a solid option for the experienced. But the absolute standout, the one you should be circling on the calendar, is Saturday the 18th. We’re looking at a 5ft WSW swell, and the wind is glassy. That's right, glassy. The energy is a moderate 760, but when the ocean goes flat like that, and the conditions are perfect, it’s a rare treat. The afternoon is a little cross-shore, but the morning is the magic moment.

After that, the run continues with clean, offshore conditions through to Monday the 21st, with the swell holding around the 5ft mark. The energy is low, but the quality is high. The last really big call is a return of the big stuff on Thursday the 23rd of July, with a 15ft SW swell and 7020 in the morning. It's cross-on and way too big for this spot again.

So, to sum it up: the standout is the glassy morning of Saturday the 18th. Don't sleep on the mornings of the 11th, 12th, and 17th either. Just be ready for the big, messy days in between.

- Rusty

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