Takapuna-North Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, it’s a pretty grim run for the most part. We’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak surf with hardly any energy behind it. The first real window of anything worthwhile doesn’t show up until Friday, August 14th the following week, so there’s a solid gap of over a week of flat or near-flat conditions to sit through.

The only spot in the mix is Takapuna-North Reef, a sheltered beginner spot that’s inconsistent and faces north-east. The water temp is measuring 56°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so don’t expect a warm welcome.

For the first week, the swell is barely a ripple. Monday the 3rd through to Monday the 10th, you’re looking at nothing more than 0.3ft to 2ft of short-period wind chop, if that. The combined energy barely nudges into double digits, often sitting at single figures – that’s about as weak as it gets. The wind is mostly cross or cross-off, but there’s not enough wave to ride anyway. Friday the 7th morning goes glassy, and Saturday the 8th is flat as a pancake.

Things start to lift a little around Sunday, August 9th, when we see a tiny pulse of 2ft from the north with a short period of 7 seconds, but the combined energy is only 51. It’s still poor surf conditions, so don’t get your hopes up.

The standout, and really the only option worth paddling out for, is Friday, August 14th through Sunday, August 16th. On Friday morning, we get a 4ft swell from the north-east with a 7-second period, and the combined energy hits 109. The wind is offshore from the west at 6 mph, so it’ll be clean. Saturday sees a solid 4ft swell from the north-east, period up to 8 seconds, and the energy jumps to 182. The wind stays cross-off from the north-west, so it’ll be workable. Sunday morning is the biggest, with 4ft from the north-north-east, an 8-second period, and a combined energy of 217. The wind is cross-off from the west-north-west, but it’s a moderate breeze at 16 mph, so it’ll be a bit choppy. The afternoon improves with offshore wind and a 3ft swell.

Now, a word of caution: Takapuna-North Reef is a sheltered spot, so it needs a good swell direction to work. The optimum is north-east, and the swell on those days is coming from north-east or north-north-east, so that’s promising. But it’s inconsistent, and the crowds can show up sometimes. The size is fine for beginners on the smaller days, but Friday and Saturday’s 4ft and 4ft might be pushing it for absolute novices. Sunday’s 4ft is getting into the zone where it’s better suited to those with a bit of experience.

After that, the swell drops off again into Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th, with smaller, weaker waves and moderate cross-off winds.

So, the call is: If you’re desperate, the Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th are your best bets. The energy is moderate, the wind is workable, and the direction lines up. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only game in town.

Rusty.

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