Port Waikato-Sunset beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, looking at the local surf for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s some real size on the way for the brave.

The first few days are a washout, honestly. Friday (31st July) is a mess with onshore wind and messy, lumpy conditions. The swell is there but it’s not surfable. We’ll have to wait until Saturday the 1st of August for the first real action, but it’s a heavy one. The swell hits 12 ft from the WSW with a solid 13 second period, and there’s a huge amount of energy in the water (4637 combined energy). The wind is light offshore from the ESE, so it’ll be clean, but that size is just too much for this spot. This is one for the experts only, and even then, it’s a big call. The best bet for the average surfer is Sunday morning (2nd August). The swell drops to a more manageable 7 ft from the SW, still with a decent 11 second period, and the wind is light cross-off from the SSE. It’s clean and the energy is moderate (1039 combined energy). This is the standout for the near-term, but it’s still a solid size, so not for the groms.

After that, the week goes quiet again. Monday and Tuesday have onshore winds and poor to marginal conditions. Wednesday the 5th of August morning looks promising again: 7 ft SW swell with a 14 second period, light cross-off breeze from the SSE, and clean. The energy is moderate (1664 combined energy), and it’s a good option for experienced surfers. The rest of the week is a mix of small, clean waves and some days where the swell is just too big again, like Thursday afternoon (6th August) with a 10 ft WNW swell, but it’s glassy – that’s a big, clean, expert-only wave.

The weekend of the 8th-9th August is small and clean, with offshore winds, but the swell drops to under 3 ft. The energy is low (334 to 404 combined energy). It’s a good time for a longboard or a beginner session, but don’t expect fireworks.

The second week gets interesting again. From the 12th of August, we see a persistent offshore wind pattern from the east, with consistent 3 ft to 3 ft WSW swells. The period is decent, around 13-16 seconds, and the energy is low to moderate (382 to 601 combined energy). It’s clean, but small. The real standout in this stretch is Thursday morning the 13th of August. The swell jumps to 6 ft from the W, but the period is a short 7 seconds – that’s a windswell, not a groundswell. The wind is offshore from the east at 16 mph, and the energy is moderate (545 combined energy). It’s clean and has some push, but that short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly and less organised. It’s a promising window, but keep an eye on it.

The following weekend (15th August) picks up again with a 4 ft WSW swell and a long 19 second period, offshore winds, and moderate energy (1575 combined energy). This is a long-period groundswell, so it’ll have plenty of punch and nice lines, but it’s best for the points or reefs, not the beach break. It’s a promising end to the run, but it’s a way off, so treat it as a hopeful heads-up.

Overall, the best on offer is Sunday morning (2nd August) for the clean, solid SW swell, and keep an eye on Thursday morning (13th August) for the offshore windswell. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Rusty.

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