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New Zealand (466)
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Motu River

Motu River Surf Photo: 'Motu River Bar' by Rob Davies

Lat Long: 37.86° S 177.59° E

Issued: 5 am 01 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in hr min

Today's Motu River sea temperature is

16.1° C

Slightly warmer than usual

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

16 Day Forecast Hourly Wave Energy Map Wave Height Map Wind Map

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Tides Sea Temperature

Guide Reviews (2)Photos (2)

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3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE	NE	NNW	N
	11 s	cross- on	11 s	13 s	15 s

Open ocean wave model on 30 January at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE	NE	NNW	NNW
	11 s	cross	11 s	14 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 30 January at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		NE	NNW
	11 s	cross		11 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		NE	N
	11 s	cross		11 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		NE	NNW
	11 s	cross		11 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NNW
	11 s	cross		11 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	NE		NE	NNW
	11 s	cross- on		11 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	NE		NE	NNW
	10 s	cross- on		10 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	NE		NE	NNW
	10 s	cross- on		10 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NNW
	10 s	cross- on		10 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		NE	NNW
	12 s	cross		12 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NNW
	12 s	cross		11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	N
	11 s	cross- on		11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	N
	11 s	cross- on		11 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	N
	11 s	cross- on		11 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	NE		NE	N
	11 s	cross- on		10 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	N
	10 s	cross- on		10 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Motu River around the time the photo was taken

Image captured One hour and 54 minutes after low water (rising spring tide). Tide height was 0.9m (3.0 ft). Range 2.09m (6.9 ft). Toggle tide graph

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Motu River Surf Photo: 'Motu River Bar' by Rob Davies

A stunningly beautiful spot that has the perfect set-up to generate superb surf. Everything, that is, apart from swell because Motu needs a north swell or a very large NE swell that is big enough to wrap down the points that form East Cape. Varies with the river and gravel bar and looked to be a few shoulder high sets this day but far from what you would call working. We carried on to much more exposed Hicks Bay where it was overhead.

3.0

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User: Rob Davies (1346 photos)

Country: New Zealand (2470 photos)

Photo taken at: 6:51 pm 31 Jan 2013