Tainohama Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you – over the next fortnight or so, Tainohama is looking mostly like a flat spell you’d rather sleep through. The reef is exposed to the south, and while there’s a tiny pulse of energy on offer here and there, the conditions are mostly ordinary or poor. The water temp is sitting at 84°, bang on average for this time of year, which is nice if you’re just floating around.

Let’s start with Tuesday, August 11th. There’s a little 3ft south swell creeping in with a 10-second period, but the wind is a cross-offshore northerly at 25 km/h, and the combined energy is weak at 307. It’s clean but really just a sad little wave – you’re not missing anything. By Wednesday morning, August 12th, the swell drops to 2ft from the SSW, but here’s the kicker: glassy conditions. That’s a rare treat. It’s surfable but very ordinary – still, if you’re desperate, you could scratch out a few fun ones on that reef.

The rest of that week into the weekend is a write-off: onshore winds, choppy junk, and combined energy falling below 200. Saturday morning, August 15th, offers another glassy window with 2ft south swell, but it’s tiny and hardly worth paddling out for.

Monday, August 17th morning has a glassy start with 2ft south swell – again, surfable but ordinary. The combined energy is just 112 (weak). The real standout doesn’t arrive until much later. On Friday, August 21st morning, we get a glassy calm with 3ft south swell at 10 seconds, energy at 195 – still weak, but it’s clean and a little more juice. Then Saturday morning, August 22nd, offers 3ft south swell with a light cross-offshore northeast breeze at 5 km/h, energy at 194 – clean again.

But if you want the best on offer, you have to wait until Tuesday, August 25th. A 5ft south-southeast swell rolls in with a very long 14-second period – proper groundswell. The combined energy hits 407 (moderate). Problem is, the wind is a cross-onshore southerly at 25 km/h, and the conditions are described as poor. For a reef break, that long-period swell could actually wrap in nicely, but the wind is going to mess it up. This is the best size we see, but it’s not clean. Still, if you’re an expert and can handle lumpy conditions, there might be a few waves.

Into Wednesday, August 26th, the swell jumps to 6ft with a 13-second period, energy at 1426 (strong), but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 30 km/h – it’s going to be a mess. Too big for beginners, and with that wind, it’s only for the hardcore crew.

So, my pick is Tuesday, August 25th, for the biggest swell (5ft from SSE) and the longest period (14 seconds), but you’ll be fighting the wind. If you want clean, glassy waves, stick to the tiny mornings like August 12th or 15th. Tainohama is a reef break that’s fairly consistent, but this outlook is pretty bleak overall. The crowds here can be an issue sometimes, but I wouldn’t worry about that this fortnight – not much to crowd.

Rusty.

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