Makorori Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day surfers, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead at Makorori Point, and while it starts a bit slow, there’s some real firepower brewing later on. Let’s get into it.

The period kicks off on Sunday, 9th August with small, clean surf. The swell is a modest 3ft from the southeast, with a period of 11 seconds, and combined wave energy is sitting at 346 (moderate). The water temperature is 56°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good wetsuit. Light northerly cross-offshore winds keep the faces tidy – it’s surfable but nothing to write home about.

Monday, 10th August drops off further. Morning sees the swell shrinking to 2ft from the southeast (10-second period, energy down to 96 – weak), with clean conditions under a light NW offshore. It’s small and weak; only a longboard or a learner’s session will get much joy. By afternoon, wind swings onshore from the southeast and conditions turn poor.

Now, Tuesday, 11th August is where things get interesting. The morning delivers a jump in swell to 6ft from the SSW (period 8 seconds, energy 659 – moderate), and a WSW cross-offshore breeze keeps it clean. This is the standout of the first week – solid, punchy waves for advanced surfers, with a bit of power behind them. The shorter period means sets will be a bit more frequent, which is great for getting waves. Afternoon turns messy with a cross-onshore, so make the most of the morning.

Wednesday, 12th August sees the swell drop back to 4ft from the southeast (10-second period, 296 energy), but a light NNE cross-offshore keeps things clean in the morning. It’s a decent session for intermediate crew.

Then we hit a lull. From Thursday, 13th August through to Friday, 14th August, the quality nosedives. Swell stays small and choppy, winds crank up from the northeast – fresh to strong on Friday – and conditions are messy. Not worth paddling out, honestly.

Saturday, 15th August brings a bit of relief. The morning swell is 4ft from the east (11-second period, 438 energy), with a nice NW offshore wind. Clean, glassy waves with a bit of push. Afternoon stays clean with a WNW offshore and 3ft swell. Good sessions for those who can dodge the light rain.

Sunday, 16th August is a write-off. The morning has 6ft swell from the south, but a strong cross-shore wind chops everything up.

Now, here’s the big one – but it’s for experts only. Monday, 17th August morning sees a massive 10ft swell from the SSW (9-second period, energy 2073 – strong to very strong). The wind is cross-offshore and it’s clean, but the wave height is too big for this break, pushing well beyond 8ft. Only experienced surfers should even think about it. Afternoon gets rawer with rain and lumpy wind.

Tuesday, 18th August and Wednesday, 19th August get even bigger – 10ft to 16ft swells from the south and SSE, with periods stretching to 12 seconds (energy hits 9176 – very strong on Wednesday). These are expert-only, and the cross-shore winds make them messy. Not a paddle-surfing day – more like a tow-in or kite-surfing show.

Thursday, 20th August keeps the big 10ft to 12ft swells (SSE, 11-12 seconds, 4018-4171 energy), but morning has a gentle cross-offshore breeze, staying clean. Still too big for most, but if you’re an expert and can handle it, it’s a raw, powerful session.

Finally, we get a clean window on Friday, 21st August morning. Swell drops to 5ft from the southeast (10-second period, 492 energy), and it’s glassy – dead calm, with a WSW light air. This is the second standout; beautiful, clean conditions with a solid waist-to-chest high swell. Perfect for a long session before the wind shifts.

The last few days (Saturday, 22nd August through Monday, 24th August) fade away. Swells drop to 3ft-6ft, periods get long (12-13 seconds), but winds turn cross-onshore and onshore, with marginal conditions. The long-period groundswell will break a bit straight at Makorori Point – better suited to reefs and points, but the winds here spoil them.

Overall, the best bets are Tuesday, 11th August morning for solid waves and Friday, 21st August morning for glassy perfection. That Monday, 17th August swell is a monster, but only for the brave.

Rusty.

Read more