Raneika Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ up for Raneika Beach.

First thing’s first: the water temp’s sittin’ at 55°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – about a degree and a half off, so you’ll want a good steamer.

Right now, we’ve got a bit of a slow patch. The first decent surf shows up on Monday the 3rd of August. Monday morning brings a clean 5ft SSE swell with a moderate cross-off breeze, but the energy’s only moderate (568). It’s a bit marginal, so don’t expect perfection. Monday afternoon shapes up better though – a smaller 3ft S swell, but with a 13-second period (that’s a proper groundswell) and a light cross-off breeze. The water’s glassy, and the conditions are clean. This is a solid option for a quiet session, and the reef setup (consistent break) should handle that long period nicely. Keep in mind, crowds are sometimes an issue here.

Tuesday the 4th gets a lot bigger – 10ft to 13ft S swell – but the wind kicks up to 22-25 mph from the SSW, making it messy. That’s expert territory, and the quality’s poor. Not the day for a relaxed paddle.

Wednesday the 5th is still oversized: 15ft S swell in the morning, then 12ft in the arvo. The wind’s still strong cross-off, and the conditions are lumpy. The combined energy’s off the charts (5145 and 3804), but it’s more for the adrenaline junkies than a fun day out.

Thursday the 6th drops to 8ft in the morning with a westerly breeze, but it’s still pretty average. The afternoon sees a 6ft SSE swell with a light cross breeze – small bumps but nothing to write home about.

Now, the standout for the whole forecast is Friday the 7th of August, morning. You’ve got a 5ft S swell with a *17-second* period – that’s very long-period groundswell, proper energy (1692). The wind’s light WNW, cross-off, and the conditions are clean. For a reef like Raneika, this is prime: long, lined-up waves with plenty of punch. The forecast says “excellent surf for experienced surfers,” and I reckon that’s the best call of the whole run. After that, the afternoon’s okay but onshore wind spoils it.

Saturday the 8th is smaller (5-6ft) with a moderate breeze – nothing special. Sunday the 9th morning has a 3ft S swell with offshore westerly wind, clean and glassy, but the swell’s small. The afternoon’s a write-off with cross-on wind.

From Monday the 10th through to Friday the 14th, it’s a real flat spell. Swells drop below 3ft, winds are onshore or cross, and the conditions are poor. There’s a gap of about five days with no real recommendation – just small, choppy, and messy.

Then Saturday the 15th morning sees a little 4ft NE swell with offshore westerly wind – clean but small. The arvo’s cross-on and bumpy.

But hold onto your board, because Sunday the 16th of August, morning, is another beauty. A 8ft NE swell with a 9-second period, light offshore WNW wind, and clean conditions. The combined energy’s strong (950), and the forecast says “very good surf.” That’s a solid size for experienced surfers, and the offshore wind will keep it glassy. The afternoon gets bigger at 10ft but with cross-on wind, so morning’s the pick.

Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th keep the fun going: 4-6ft ENE swell, light offshore or cross-off winds, clean. Not massive, but good for a cruisy session.

So, the two standouts? Friday the 7th morning – that long-period S swell with clean conditions is the cream of the crop. And Sunday the 16th morning – the 8ft NE swell with offshore wind is a close second. Everything else is either too big and windy, or too small and flat.

Rusty signing off.

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