Tairua Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mates, Rusty here, getting you the lowdown for Tairua Bar. Gonna be a bit of a waiting game, so let’s break it down.

The first week kicks off real small. Sunday the 6th has waves barely a foot (0.2m) from the ENE, with a combined energy of just 11. It’s weak, it’s flat, and there’s nothing to work with.

Monday the 7th gives a little jump to 6ft (1.8m) from the NNW, but it’s a short-period wind swell at 7 seconds. The energy is moderate at 307, but the wind is a cross-off at 19 mph, and the overall conditions are poor. The afternoon is a bit better in wind, but the waves are backing off.

Tuesday the 8th is ordinary. The swell drops to 4ft (1.1m) from the N in the morning, with a combined energy of 169. The afternoon goes glassy with a 3ft (0.8m) swell, but it’s just average. Water temp is about 59°, which is normal for this time of year.

From Wednesday the 9th all the way through to Tuesday the 15th, it’s pretty much flat. The swell is consistently under 1ft (0.2m), and the combined energy is in the teens to low twenties. You get some nice offshore winds, but with no waves, it’s just a nice day to be on the beach. That’s a solid week of nothing.

The first real event is on Wednesday the 16th. The morning brings a 5ft (1.5m) N swell with a short 7-second period, but the wind is offshore and clean. The energy is 231 (moderate). The afternoon gets better, with a 5ft (1.3m) NW swell and a combined energy of 301 (moderate). The wind stays offshore, and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” It’s the best of the first two weeks, but the short period means it’s not going to be super clean.

Now, the big one. On Friday the 18th, the morning brings a solid 8ft (2.3m) N swell with an 8-second period. The combined energy jumps to 724 (strong). The wind is light and cross-off, and the forecast is “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the standout session. The afternoon gets bigger, hitting 8ft (2.5m) from the NNE, but the wind goes onshore, ruining it. That morning on the 18th is the time to go.

After that, it gets ugly. Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th are blown out with strong cross-onshore winds over 25 mph, with the swell holding at 8ft (2.5m). The combined energy is massive (over 1000), but the wind is a mess. That’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing.

Monday the 21st cleans up nicely. We get a 6ft (1.7m) ENE swell with a very long 13-second period. The combined energy is 953 (strong), and the wind is a clean cross-off. This is a solid option, though the long period means the sets will be more spaced out, and at a beach/bar break, it might run a bit straight.

So, the best of the lot is the morning of Friday the 18th. The Wednesday the 16th is a decent backup, but the 18th is the real standout. Get out there if you can.

Rusty out.

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