Taapuna Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Rusty here. Let’s talk about the waves coming up for Taapuna.

First up, we’re looking at a solid stretch of SSW groundswell – a proper long-period push from the deep south. The water’s sitting at 80°, which is about bang on average for this time of year, nothing spooky there.

The first real chance to get a decent wave is Thursday afternoon, the 13th of August. We’ve got a 6ft SSW swell, rolling in with a 14-second period. The wind is a light easterly cross-off, so the face should be clean. The combined wave energy is moderate at 1328, but it’s the start of the run. You’ll want to be an experienced surfer for this one, as the reef can be demanding.

Then we hit a bit of a lull. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are small and weak, with the wind turning cross and messing up the surface. Not worth paddling out for.

The real standout is going to be the week that follows. From Monday the 17th, the swell builds again. Late in the week, from Thursday the 20th of August through to Monday the 24th, Taapuna is going to be pumping. We’re looking at 10ft to 13ft of SSW groundswell, with periods of 14 to 16 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving. The combined wave energy rockets up into the strong to very strong range – hitting 7099 on Friday the 21st morning. That is serious grunt. Now, the wind is mostly cross-shore with a moderate breeze, so it won’t be glassy, but it’ll be clean enough for anyone who knows what they’re doing. This is expert-only territory – over 8ft and on a reef, you need to be on your game. The direction is bang on the optimum for this spot, so the lines will be long and defined.

If you want the best of the best, aim for Sunday the 23rd. The morning session has an 8ft SSW swell at 17 seconds, with a clean cross-off easterly wind. The energy is still massive at 5375. That’s a long-period groundswell, so the sets will be fat and powerful, with good gaps between them. It’s a reef, so it will handle the period beautifully. Expect crowds to be possible – it’s a famous spot, and when it’s this good, people will be out.

The tail end of the run, Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th, drops off into a more manageable 4ft to 3ft range. Wednesday morning the 26th is something special for the last day – glassy offshore, with a 3ft SSW swell at 13 seconds. That’s a perfect, clean, small-wave session for the advanced crew.

So, if you’ve got the skills, the window from Thursday the 20th to Monday the 24th is the one to circle. Big, powerful, and consistent. Don’t miss it.

Rusty.

Read more