Pohoiki Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, let’s talk about Pohoiki. It’s a tricky stretch for the next couple of weeks, to be honest. The water is sitting at 81°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook kicks off on Friday the 14th, but it’s not the kind of thing you want to paddle out into. We’ve got a solid 10ft of east swell rolling in with a moderate 11-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 1908, but the wind is howling side-shore from the NNE at 19 mph, making it a lumpy, cross-chop mess. That afternoon, it actually gets worse with a 13ft east swell and 22 mph winds, pumping out 8764 in energy – that’s a lot of power, but it’s all blown out. Not surfable.

Saturday the 15th is a write-off. We’re looking at 18ft to 20ft of east-southeast swell with near gale-force winds. This is kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing. The energy numbers are massive (7199 and 8329), but for us, it’s just dangerous and messy.

Sunday the 16th calms down a bit, with 8ft of short-period, 8-second east swell, but the wind is still cross-onshore. The energy is moderate at 1257, but conditions are choppy and poor. By Monday the 17th, the swell drops right off to under 3ft, and we’re into a flat, choppy spell that lasts through the middle of the week. From Tuesday the 18th to Thursday the 21st, the wave heights are tiny – mostly 2ft to 4ft, with weak energy (between 121 and 373) and mostly cross-shore or onshore breezes. Just a flat run for the most part.

Now, there’s a little glimmer around Saturday the 22nd of August. We get a 5ft east-southeast swell with a 10-second period and a moderate 1101 in energy. The wind is light and onshore, so it’s messy, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a week. Sunday the 23rd comes back with a 7ft east swell, but the wind picks up again, and it’s choppy and blown out.

The real standout, and I mean the one to keep an eye on, is the tail end of the forecast. Starting Thursday the 27th of August, we get a solid push of long-period groundswell from the east. The swell is 5ft to 5ft, but the period jumps to 16-18 seconds, which is very long. The energy is strong, hitting 2019. The wind is lighter, from the east-northeast, but it’s still cross-onshore – light cross-onshore with small wind ripples, so not glassy, but manageable. This long-period swell is best for Pohoiki’s reef setup, as it’ll bend in nicely. The quality is still just marginal, but this is the best on offer for the whole run. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th hold similar energy and size, but the wind is a bit stronger.

So, bottom line: the first ten days are mostly a bust. The standout is the long-period east swell from the 27th to the 29th. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only real window where the waves have some grunt and the wind isn’t howling. Keep it in mind, but don’t expect magic.

Rusty.

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