Raglan-Whale Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Raglan-Whale Bay. This is a reef and point setup, so it loves a good SW groundswell, and we’ve got a solid run of waves coming through. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing too wild there.

The first action kicks off Wednesday the 29th of July. It’s a clean start with a 4 ft swell from the WSW, 11-second period, and light ENE cross-off wind in the morning turning glassy by afternoon. The energy is moderate (299) and it’s a cruisy, fun-sized day. This is a nice little warm-up.

Thursday the 30th sees a bump in size – 5 ft in the morning from the same WSW direction, 14-second period, and the energy jumps to 961. The wind is NE cross-shore, which is okay, but the condition notes say it’s marginal due to tide. The afternoon gets a bit sloppy with cross-on wind and chop, so the morning window is the pick.

Friday the 31st is a write-off. Strong cross-on winds, rain, and a messy 7 ft to 10 ft swell with short 9 to 10-second period. The energy is high (1494 to 1279) but the quality is poor. Not worth paddling out.

Saturday the 1st of August is a big one. The morning is still messy with a 13 ft swell (6188 energy) and cross-on wind, but the afternoon cleans right up. The wind swings S at 12 mph, cross-off, and the swell drops to a still-large 12 ft, 14-second period. The energy is 4700 – that’s a lot of power. This is only for the experienced crew; too big for anyone else.

Sunday the 2nd stays clean with S and SSW cross-off winds, but the swell backs off to 7 ft and 6 ft, with 11 to 10-second periods. Energy drops to 1057 and 708. It’s surfable but nothing special.

Now, Monday the 3rd of August – this is a standout. A 7 ft swell from the WSW, but the period is a very long 19 seconds, and the energy is a strong 3455. The wind is glassy in the morning, with a light ENE breeze. This is the kind of groundswell that Whale Bay was made for – long, clean lines, and the reef will shape them beautifully. It’s going to be a special session for the advanced surfers.

Tuesday the 4th keeps the quality high. The morning is clean with a 6 ft, 16-second swell (2012 energy) and SW cross-off wind. The afternoon is even better: 8 ft, 16-second period, 2523 energy, light SSW wind, and clean conditions. This is another top-tier day, right up there with Monday.

Wednesday the 5th is still good, with a 6 ft, 14-second swell and light ENE wind, giving clean waves. The energy is 1083. The afternoon is a bit more mixed with cross-shore wind, but the morning is the go.

From Thursday the 6th onwards, the surf drops away. It gets small and weak, with the swell falling to 3 ft and below, and the energy dipping to 236 and lower. The winds are clean but there’s just not enough push. For a solid week after that, from the 7th to the 13th of August, it’s a real struggle – mostly 2 ft to 3 ft, with poor conditions and fresh winds. The energy rarely gets above 500. It’s a long flat spell, which is pretty normal for this area when the swell windows close.

So, the best on offer is without a doubt Monday the 3rd of August – that long-period groundswell with glassy conditions is a dream. Tuesday the 4th is a very close second. Saturday afternoon could be a big-wave option for the experts, but the quality isn’t as refined.

Rusty.

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