Port Waikato-Sunset beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, checkin’ in from the coast. Lookin’ at the next 16 days, and I gotta be straight with ya – the start is a bit of a slow burn. There’s a proper gap with no real surf to get excited about until the end of the first week. The first real window of opportunity pops up on Friday the 7th, but it’s nothin’ to write home about. The real standout action is gonna be the week after, with a couple of days that’ll have the experienced crew buzzin’.

Alright, let’s get into it. On Friday morning, August 7th, we’ve got a tiny 3ft SW swell rollin’ in at Port Waikato-Sunset Beach. The wind is glassy from the NE at just 3 mph, so the surface is clean. But with combined energy sittin' at just 175 (weak), it’s more of a longboard or a paddle than a proper surf. The water’s at 56°, which is about average for this time of year. Friday afternoon turns messy – cross-on wind and smaller swell.

Saturday the 8th is a write-off with a weak, short-period WNW swell and a cross breeze. Sunday the 9th sees the swell jump up to 8ft, but it’s from the WNW, period’s only 10 seconds, and the wind is howlin’ from the N at 12 mph. The combined energy shoots up to 1977 (strong), but it’s a messy, blown-out cross-chop. Not worth it.

Monday the 10th is where the tide starts to turn. Monday morning brings a glassy WSW wind at 3 mph, with a 3ft swell from the WSW. The kicker? That swell has a long 16-second period. The energy is moderate (894). This is a good sign, but the size is small. The standout for this first week, though, is Thursday morning, August 13th. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the West, a 13-second period, and a clean cross-off breeze from the NE at 6 mph. The combined energy is a solid 1871 (strong). This is solid, clean surf for the experienced intermediate. It’s heavy enough to get your heart pumpin’, but the wind will keep the faces lined up. It’s a morning mission, though, as the afternoon gets a cross breeze.

Now, after that, Friday the 14th is still pushin’ 7ft, but the wind is a bit more on it. But then we hit a massive wall of swell. From Friday afternoon the 14th right through to Monday the 17th, the swell is consistently over 13ft, with combined energy readings in the thousands (3017 to 17643). This is huge, powerful, and for most of it, the wind is cross-on or onshore. This is serious, big-wave territory – only for the most experienced and well-prepared crew. The setup is a beach, so with that size and a shorter 9-second period, it’s gonna be a washing machine. Honestly, for the average punter this is more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle session.

The second week starts to settle. Tuesday morning, August 18th, is another standout. The swell has dropped to a still-chunky 7ft from the SW, with a 14-second period. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SE at 6 mph. Energy is 2004 (strong). This is another excellent, clean window for the experienced surfer. The water temp is still around that 56° mark.

The rest of the week from the 19th onwards sees the swell dropping back to the 5ft to 6ft range. The wind is mostly cross or cross-off, but with moderate to fresh breezes, so it won’t be as clean as those Tuesday morning windows. The 22nd of August is a final note – a 4ft WSW swell with a long 15-second period, but cross-on winds. It’s a bit of a fizzle.

So, if you’re lookin’ for the best on offer, mark your calendar for Thursday the 13th and Tuesday the 18th mornings. That’s where the clean, powerful swell and good wind line up. The rest is a mix of too small, too windy, or way too big. Stay safe out there.

Rusty

Read more