Last Chance Surf Break

Lat Long: 39.00° S 177.90° E

Last Chance Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 11 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Last Chance sea temperature is
12.5° C
1.4° 

Last Chance surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Last Chance surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with 4,259 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Last Chance this week:

The surf forecast for Last Chance over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Last Chance in the next 16 days are 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.3m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 16) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Tue 11th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 9s
Best Surf 3AM (Tue 18th Aug)15ft (4.5m) 10s
Most Powerful 3AM (Tue 18th Aug)15ft (4.5m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Last Chance over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's shaping up for Last Chance over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the water is a bit nippier than usual for this time of year, sitting at 54.5°F and about 2.5°F colder than normal. So you’ll want a thicker wetsuit if you’re heading out.

The first real chance to paddle out is Tuesday morning, August 11th. It’s not huge, with a 5 ft south swell, but the wind is offshore (WSW 9 mph) and it’s clean. The wave energy is moderate. It’s a mellow start, but it’ll be a nice, clean session to get the week going.

Wednesday the 12th is a write-off. Wind swings onshore and it gets choppy. By Friday the 14th, it’s still poor with a short-period, messy 4 ft ENE swell and onshore winds. You can sleep in.

Saturday the 15th is a classic example of a day to avoid. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the east but it's blowing 22 mph straight onshore. That’s a washing machine. The wave energy is moderate, but the quality is poor. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Things start to look interesting from Sunday the 16th into Monday the 17th. Swell drops back to a manageable 7.5 ft from the east on Sunday morning with a cross-offshore wind, and the energy is solid. Monday sees a 5 ft south swell with 22 mph cross-off winds, giving clean energy. It’s still big and clean, but be aware that 11.5 ft comes in Monday afternoon. That's expert territory.

The standout window starts to open on Tuesday the 18th and really fires up on Thursday the 20th.

Tuesday the 18th: A 13 ft swell from the SSE (period 10 seconds) hits with cross-offshore winds. This is heavy. The energy is massive. This is only for very experienced surfers. The point here at Last Chance will handle that size well, but it’s going to be powerful.

Thursday the 20th is the absolute best day on offer. The morning is glassy with NW 3 mph wind and a 10 ft swell from the SSE with a very long 15-second period. That’s a groundswell with incredible energy. It’s going to be clean, lined-up, and powerful. The long period means longer waits between sets, but the waves will be well-shaped and hold up nicely on the point. This is a day for the quiver of your life.

Friday the 21st: Still excellent, with a 7 ft SSE swell, glassy morning winds, and solid energy. The period is still a strong 12 seconds. Another morning of clean, punchy waves for experienced surfers.

After that, the swell drops off going into the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd, but Monday the 24th throws up another excellent morning: a 5.5 ft south swell with a 15-second period and clean cross-offshore winds. It won’t be as big as the 20th, but it’ll be just as clean and fun.

The final days (25th and 26th) look poor again with onshore winds taking over.

Overall: The clear standout is Thursday morning, August 20th. That glassy, 10 ft, 15-second groundswell with perfect offshore winds is a proper session. Friday the 21st morning and Monday the 24th morning are also excellent secondary options. Get on it.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 74mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the NE on Fri morning, strong winds from the SW by Sun afternoon).

Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Saturday
15
Sunday
16
Monday
17
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
S
9
1.6
S
8
1.3
SSE
8
1.4
SE
8
1.6
SE
11
1.3
SE
10
1.1
SE
9
1
SE
9
0.9
SE
8
1.2
ENE
6
1.6
ENE
6
2.1
E
7
2.5
E
8
2.4
E
8
3
ENE
9
2.3
E
9
1.9
E
9
2.1
S
7
1.6
S
8
3.5
SE
8
4
SSE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
355
354
227
226
615
334
203
149
98
87
190
491
816
822
1361
865
599
470
314
1986
3242
Wind (km/h)
15
WSW
20
SW
5
WSW
15
NE
20
NE
20
N
15
N
25
NE
20
NNE
25
NE
25
ENE
25
ENE
35
E
30
ESE
20
SSE
25
SSW
40
SW
40
SSW
35
SSW
35
S
30
SSW
Wind State
off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
3:57PM1.84m
4:28AM1.70m
4:56PM1.86m
5:26AM1.71m
5:54PM1.87m
6:24AM1.72m
6:49PM1.87m
7:19AM1.73m
7:41PM1.84m
8:11AM1.75m
8:31PM1.81m
9:00AM1.76m
9:21PM1.76m
Low Tide
9:43AM0.16m
10:20PM0.15m
10:43AM0.10m
11:18PM0.11m
11:39AM0.06m
00:16AM0.09m
12:32PM0.05m
1:11AM0.09m
1:24PM0.08m
2:02AM0.11m
2:17PM0.13m
2:51AM0.16m
3:09PM0.20m
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
clear
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
heavy rain
mod rain
mod rain
heavy rain
mod rain
rain showers
heavy rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:00
6:58
6:58
6:56
6:54
6:54
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:27
5:28
5:28
5:29
5:30
5:30
5:31
 mm
1
5
11
6
10
23
6
1
11
2
2
1
Temp °C
11
12
11
12
12
11
12
14
13
13
13
13
13
13
13
12
11
10
9
9
9
Feels °C
7
8
9
8
7
6
8
9
10
9
9
9
7
8
8
7
3
2
1
0
1
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Last Chance Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Last Chance provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Last Chance can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Last Chance surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Last Chance) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Last Chance may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Last Chance is 38 km (24 miles) from the city of Gisborne. If you plan a holiday in Gisborne and Mahia, look for hotels and other accommodation in Gisborne. Gisborne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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