Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your wettie, let’s talk about what we’ve got. The only real game in town for the foreseeable future is Papa Tangaroa, a heavy reef setup that’s strictly for the experienced crew. This isn't a learner's spot. The coming days offer a run of solid, powerful surf, but the conditions are going to dictate who gets the good ones. Water temps are sitting at 69°, which is right on the money for this time of year.

We kick off on Sunday the 26th of July with a bang. The morning is looking prime: glassy conditions with a light northerly breeze and a clean 10ft swell rolling in from the south-west. The combined energy is massive (2434), and with that 12-second period, it’s proper deep-water groundswell packing a punch. This is a standout window for the experts. The afternoon cleans up even more, dropping slightly to 8ft but staying clean under a light offshore.

Monday the 27th still has plenty of size, around 6ft, but the wind is cranking from the NNW at 19 mph. It’s offshore, so it’ll be clean, but it’s gonna be a battle. Things start to go downhill from Tuesday the 28th through the rest of the week as onshore winds move in. The swell sticks around, but the quality is poor. We’ve got a solid run of waves, but the wind and chop are going to make it frustrating. The energy remains moderate to strong, with values mostly between 760 and 1593, but the onshore flow just ruins the surface.

We get another chance on Saturday the 1st of August. The swell is back up to 8ft from the SW with a solid 13-second period and 2705 combined energy. The wind is cross-off from the northwest, so the surf will be clean and powerful. This is a strong option for the advanced crew, but be warned: the size and power will be too much for anyone without experience. It stays clean and big through Sunday the 2nd, with 8ft waves, but the wind does get a little stronger.

Then the wheels fall off. Starting Monday the 3rd of August, a strong southeasterly wind rips through, pinning the swell. We’re looking at huge, messy, blown-out surf for the rest of the outlook period. The swell size actually increases again to 10ft on the 3rd and 4th, but with onshore winds over 25 mph, it’s going to be a washing machine. Combined energy spikes over 4800 but it’s all just a big, lumpy mess. There is a small window of cleaner, smaller (4ft) waves around Monday the 10th of August, but the period is short and the energy is weak. Honestly, that week from the 3rd onwards is a write-off for any kind of quality surf at this break. The setup might be more interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers for a lot of that time. Keep an eye on the long-range forecasts, but right now, the first weekend is your best bet.

Rusty.

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