Last Chance Surf Break

Lat Long: 39.00° S 177.90° E

Last Chance Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 28 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Last Chance sea temperature is
12.8° C
1.2° 

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 28 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 15s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 15s period, S swell with 10,730 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 13s period with ESE 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 Wednesday (Jul 29) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 11s. 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 5.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 9AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3AM (Wed 29th Jul)6.5ft (2.0m) 13s
Best Surf 6PM (Tue 4th Aug)15ft (4.5m) 15s
Most Powerful12AM (Wed 5th Aug)16ft (5.0m) 15s

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


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here, and we’ve only got one spot to talk about: Last Chance – a tough point break for advanced surfers. The water’s at 55°F, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a thicker suit.

The action starts on Tuesday afternoon, July 28th. There’s a 8ft swell from the ESE, with a 13-second period – that’s real groundswell energy (combined energy of 2200). The wind’s cross-off at 12 mph, so it’s clean but big – for experts only. The surf is marginal, but there’s a window.

The first real standout is Wednesday morning, July 29th. The swell drops to 6ft from the ESE, still a nice 13-second period, and the wind goes glassy – 3 mph from the NNW. Clean, glassy conditions, excellent for experienced surfers (combined energy of 1075). That’s the best of the early run. By afternoon, the wind switches cross-on and the quality tanks, so make the morning.

Thursday, July 30th and Friday, July 31st see the swell easing to 5ft down to 3ft, with ESE swell and 11-second periods. Winds are cross-off, so it’s clean but small – combined energy drops from 666 to 220. Not a total loss, but you’ll be scratching.

Then we hit a rough patch. Saturday, August 1st through Sunday, August 2nd bring light rain and strong winds – 25 to 31 mph from the SW and SSW. Swell spikes to 12ft on Saturday afternoon and 10ft on Sunday, but with those strong cross-off winds, it’s messy and marginal. Combined energy hits 2352 and 2102, but the quality is poor. Leave it.

Monday, August 3rd is a washout too – 7ft swell from the SSE, but light winds and marginal surf.

The next standout is Tuesday, August 4th, but it’s a beast. The morning brings a 13ft swell from the S, 12-second period, with a fresh cross-off. By afternoon, it jumps to 16ft from the S with a 15-second period – that’s a massive, long-period groundswell (combined energy of 16852). The wind is cross-off, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. Experts only, and even then, it’s risky.

Wednesday morning, August 5th is another highlight. The swell settles to 8ft from the SSE, 14-second period, with offshore wind at 3 mph from the WSW. Glassy, clean, excellent for experienced surfers (combined energy of 2596). That afternoon, the wind goes cross and it gets choppy, so hit it early.

From Thursday, August 6th through Sunday, August 9th, we’ve got a mix of S and SSE swell, 7ft to 6ft, with periods from 11 to 16 seconds. Winds are mostly cross-off or cross, with moderate breezes. The combined energy stays in the 1000s to 2000s, but the surf is marginal – not bad, but not firing. Saturday, August 8th sees the swell dropping to 6ft, and Sunday, August 9th has a 7ft E swell, clean but nothing special.

Monday, August 10th to Wednesday, August 12th is a slow fade. Swell from the E and ENE, 4ft to 5ft, with periods of 9 to 11 seconds. The standout in this stretch is Wednesday morning, August 12th: 5ft from the E, 11-second period, and glassy conditions with 3 mph from the NW. Combined energy of 607, and it’s glassy – that’s your best bet for a clean, fun session in the second week. The afternoon gets a cross-on wind, so it’s a morning-only call.

Overall, the best of the bunch is Wednesday morning, July 29th for glassy, clean waves, and Wednesday morning, August 5th for offshore winds and solid swell. The August 4th monster swell is a sight to see, but it’s too big for most. Stay sharp, and keep an eye on the wind.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 11°C on Fri night, min 7°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Sun afternoon, light winds from the NE by Mon afternoon).

Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
0
3
2
1
0
1
1
0
0
2
2
0
1
0
2
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)
2
ESE
13
1.8
ESE
13
1.8
ESE
12
1.6
ESE
12
1.4
ESE
12
1.2
ESE
11
1.1
E
11
0.9
ESE
11
0.8
ESE
11
0.7
E
11
0.5
SE
16
3
S
10
4
S
11
3.5
SSE
11
3
SSE
11
2
SSE
11
1.7
SSE
11
1.4
SSE
10
2
S
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1363
1052
933
743
488
370
302
202
161
116
119
1668
3201
2705
1939
908
649
409
475
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
5
NNW
20
NE
15
NNW
15
N
20
NNW
20
N
15
WNW
20
WNW
30
WNW
20
SW
30
SW
40
SSW
40
S
45
SSW
25
S
20
WSW
5
SSE
5
W
Wind State
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
off
High Tide
5:09AM1.43m
5:37PM1.55m
5:56AM1.42m
6:22PM1.55m
6:43AM1.44m
7:06PM1.57m
7:30AM1.47m
7:50PM1.58m
8:14AM1.51m
8:34PM1.61m
8:57AM1.55m
9:19PM1.63m
Low Tide
11:08PM0.46m
11:24AM0.41m
11:53PM0.41m
12:05PM0.37m
00:38AM0.36m
12:47PM0.33m
1:23AM0.32m
1:30PM0.31m
2:07AM0.29m
2:15PM0.29m
2:50AM0.27m
3:02PM0.29m
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:13
7:13
7:11
7:11
7:09
7:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:17
5:19
5:20
 mm
1
1
2
2
2
4
3
Temp °C
10
12
13
10
15
16
14
15
15
11
8
8
9
9
10
10
9
10
9
Feels °C
6
9
8
5
10
11
9
11
10
5
3
1
-1
0
0
3
5
7
3
  • 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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