Port Waikato-Sunset beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Port Waikato, here’s the story for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a mixed bag, but there’s a standout window that’s got my attention.

Alright, kick-off is Wednesday the 15th. The morning is a bit of a write-off – a 8ft WSW swell with a decent 17-second period, but that cross-on northerly is going to mess it up. The afternoon though? That’s where it gets interesting. The wind swings around to a clean WNW onshore, but the swell jumps to a solid 10ft from the same direction, with a 16-second period. The energy is pumping (4320), but honestly, that’s too much for this break. It’s a big, powerful wave, and unless you’re a proper expert, you’ll be in the washing machine. The water’s sitting at 14°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Thursday and Friday are a bit of a let-down. The swell is still there, 8ft and 7ft, but the wind is onshore and messy, and the quality is just not there. The energy is moderate to strong (3062, 2576, 2082), but the conditions are choppy and cross-shore. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, Saturday the 18th is a write-off. The wind is howling from the WSW, and the swell is 8ft, but it’s a messy, choppy mess. The energy is huge (5625), but it’s all wind and no shape. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

But here’s the gold. Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th. Finally, the magic happens. We get a clean offshore breeze from the ESE, dropping to light and glassy. The swell is still a solid 7ft to 8ft, with a 15-16 second period from the SW. This is a proper groundswell, and with that offshore wind, the waves will be clean, lined up, and powerful. The energy is strong (3079, 3118, 1667) – this is for experienced surfers. It’s going to be a big, hollow wave, and the crowds might be around, but for a few sessions, this is the best on offer. The standout is the Sunday morning session – clean offshore, solid 7ft swell, and a long 16-second period. That’s a session you’ll remember.

The following week tapers off. Tuesday the 21st still has a nice 5ft SW swell and glassy conditions in the morning, but the energy drops (869). After that, it’s a slow decline. The swell drops to 3ft to 5ft through the rest of the week, with periods of clean conditions, but the energy is weak (329-619). It’s small, but there are some glassy mornings on the 23rd and 29th.

The very end of the forecast, around the 29th and 30th, we get a small 6ft swell with a glassy morning, but the energy is weak (902) and the period drops to 12 seconds. It’s a clean, small wave, but nothing to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: the absolute standouts are the Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th. Those are the days to get after it. Everything else is either too big, too messy, or too small. The gap between the 20th and the end of the month is a long one, with only small, marginal waves. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

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