Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer. The boys at Piha-The-Bar are in for a long stretch of lumpy, cross-shore slop before a few windows of clean, powerful surf show up. There’s a big gap of nothing worth paddling out for in the first week, so patience is the name of the game.

The first sniff of something decent is Thursday morning, July 16. It’s a 10 ft WSW swell with a 16-second period, but the wind is light offshore from the WNW. That’s a good start, but the scoring says it’s marginal, so don’t expect perfection. By Thursday afternoon the wind swings cross-onshore, and it’s downhill from there.

Friday through to Monday the 20th is a write-off: consistent 8 ft to 10 ft swell, but cross and cross-on winds from the WSW and SW keep it choppy and messy. The wave energy is huge – in the thousands (2207 to 3873) – but the quality is poor. The water is 58°, which is about average for this time of year.

Then, on Tuesday the 21st, we get a proper change. The wind goes cross-offshore from the SSW, and the 7 ft SW swell cleans up nicely. It’s only a moderate breeze at 12 mph, but the wave comment says “clean.” That’s your first real chance for a decent session. The swell energy is still solid (1517). Wednesday the 22nd afternoon is even better: 5 ft on a 12-second period, light cross-off wind, and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s the standout for the first week.

After that, it gets grim again. Thursday the 23rd through Saturday the 25th is a mix of onshore wind, rain showers, and lumpy, poor surf. The wind hits 19 mph on Saturday afternoon, and the 6 ft swell is just a mess. Kite surfers might eye up the 19 mph winds, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard pass.

The next real highlight is Sunday the 26th. A massive 13 ft SW swell rolls in with a 16-second period, producing a monstrous 7163 combined energy. The wind is cross from the SW at 19 mph, so it’s not clean, but the sheer power is undeniable. This is only for experts – 13 ft is way too big for beginners. The wave comment says “marginal,” but for a crew that knows Piha, this is a session to watch.

Monday the 27th is the real gem. The swell drops to a still-strong 8 ft from the WSW, but the wind goes cross-off from the S at 9 mph, and the forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” The period is 14 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell, and the energy is 2125. That’s the best-looking day of the entire outlook. Tuesday the 28th drops off, but Wednesday the 29th afternoon brings a surprise: a glassy 5 ft WSW swell with a 16-second period, and the wave comment says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s a quality, clean session.

The final few days – Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st – are a mixed bag. Thursday is okay with light cross-shore winds, but Friday sees the wind pick up to 16 mph and the swell jumps to 12 ft, but it’s short-period junk at 8 to 11 seconds. That’s sloppy, onshore-style surf, not worth the paddle out.

So, the best on offer is Tuesday the 21st for a clean, workable swell, and then Monday the 27th for the standout: powerful, clean, and for the experienced crew. The long wait between the 16th and the 21st is a drag, but it pays off.

Rusty.

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