Port Waikato-Sunset beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on the cards for Port Waikato-Sunset Beach. Right off the bat, the water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year—nothing to get excited about.

The first real window of opportunity kicks off on Sunday the 2nd of August. There's a solid 6ft groundswell rolling in from the southwest with a long 11-second period, and with a light SSE cross-off breeze, the morning session is looking clean as a whistle. The combined energy is pumping at 904, so there's a fair bit of power behind it. It's decent for an intermediate surfer, but maybe a touch much for a beginner with the size over 5ft. The afternoon stays clean but the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit less attractive.

Monday the 3rd is a write-off with strong cross-on winds and messy conditions—best to skip it.

Tuesday the 4th sees a big jump to 10ft of swell, but that's simply too much for this break. It's a beach setup, and with that kind of size, it's experts-only if it's even rideable. The wind is cross and fresh, creating a lumpy mess. The swell energy is huge, clocking in at over 3000, but it's not for your average Sunday surfer.

Wednesday the 5th looks a bit better, but it's still marginal. The swell drops to 8ft from the southwest with a 14-second period, and the morning offers a cross-off breeze that cleans it up nicely. The energy is still strong at 2971, so it's punchy. Not a standout, but a possibility if you're keen and experienced.

Now, here's the standout for the first week. Thursday the 6th of August, the morning. The swell drops right down to a manageable 4ft from the southwest, but the real treat is the wind—a glassy ESE offshore at just 3 mph, with clean conditions. The period is a lovely 12 seconds, giving the waves good shape. The combined energy is a moderate 480, so it's not a beast, but it's perfectly surfable for intermediates. That's the pick of the first few days.

Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th are small and weak, with swells under 2ft. Not much doing.

The next real highlight pops up on Sunday the 9th of August. The swell is only 3ft from the WSW but with a very long 16-second period. The wind is cross-off and light, making for glassy conditions again. It's small, but for a longboard or a groveler, that long period groundswell will produce some fun lines. Energy is low at 593, but it's clean.

Then we get to Monday the 10th of August, which is the real gem of the whole forecast. The morning sees a 3ft WSW swell with a 16-second period, and a glassy offshore breeze from the east at just 3 mph. The conditions are clean as, and the combined energy is 1271—moderate but full of potential. The period is very long, so it's best suited to the point or reef sections, but for an experienced surfer, this is the session to circle on the calendar. It's the only day with a 4/10 internal score, which tells you it's the best on offer.

The rest of the second week is a mixed bag. Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th offer clean mornings with cross-off winds and modest 3-4ft swells, but nothing huge. A solid option for a weekday session.

Thursday the 13th of August goes huge again—10ft from the WSW with a 17-second period and over 4700 in energy—but again, that's just too big for this break and the cross wind won't help.

Friday the 14th of August, the morning session has a nice 6ft WSW swell with a 15-second period and a light cross-off breeze. Clean and powerful, it's another good option for experienced surfers. The energy is strong at 2387.

Saturday the 15th of August, the afternoon looks the best with a 7ft WSW swell and an offshore breeze from the east. Again, it's a bit bigger, but the offshore wind will make it clean—solid for the crew who like a bit of size.

The final few days blow up again with 10ft+ and stormy winds. That's kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing.

So to sum it up: the absolute best session is Monday morning the 10th of August for its glassy offshore wind, clean long-period swell, and manageable size. Sunday the 9th is a close second for the longboard crew. Don't sleep on Thursday the 6th either—it's the most user-friendly option for intermediates.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more