Mangawhai Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be honest, the next couple of weeks at Mangawhai Heads are going to test your patience more than your pop-up. We’re looking at a long, flat stretch before anything worth getting wet for finally shows up. Don’t get too excited about the small bumps early on—they’re just enough to keep the hope alive, but not enough to make you miss breakfast.

The first real chance of anything half-decent doesn't roll in until late Monday the 31st of August. Before that, we’ve got a solid run of days with nothing but tiny, weak dribbles. The swell energy is almost non-existent, mostly sitting in the single digits and weak double digits, like 10 or 15. The water temp is sitting at 59°F, which is right on the money for this time of year, so no surprises there. It’s clean and glassy at times, but with almost no swell, it’s just a lake with a pulse. That run of poor surf goes on from Friday the 21st right through to Sunday the 30th. It’s a long, boring stretch, and you’d be better off doing a gear audit or fixing that leaking wetsuit.

Finally, on Monday morning, the 31st of August, the energy kicks up. The combined swell energy jumps to 205, which is a solid jump from the weak stuff we’ve seen. We’re looking at a 3ft swell from the NE with a 10-second period. The wind is light from the NNW, so it’s clean. This is the standout of the whole period. It’s not a monster, but after a week of nothing, it’ll feel like a gift. The break is a beach and reef set-up, and it’s fairly consistent, though it can get a bit of a crowd when it’s like this, so be ready to share. This is the one to mark on the calendar, but keep in mind it’s a long-range call, so treat it as promising but not set in stone.

The following days after that morning window get messy. By Monday afternoon, the wind swings onshore, and then Tuesday the 1st of September brings in fresh, lumpy cross-onshore conditions with the swell dropping back. There’s a bit of energy around, but the wind kills it. Then we fade right back into the small, poor stuff again for the rest of the second week. Honestly, if you can only paddle out once, make it Monday morning the 31st. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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