Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for our little slice of the Pacific.

The window starts off a bit rough, but we've got a solid Saturday morning that's the real standout. It's not all smooth sailing, but for the patient surfer, there's a reward.

The first real action is on Saturday, 29 August – morning. Head to Papa Tangaroa (Tanga-Roa). The swell is a solid 7 ft from the SW, with a period of 10 seconds. That's a nice, clean groundswell. The wind is dead calm – glassy conditions. The water temp is about average for the time of year. The combined energy is pumping at 1744. This is clean, lined-up surf for experienced surfers. The wind is glass, so it's just you and the swell. It's a reef break that's fairly consistent, so expect some good ones. This is your best bet.

Saturday afternoon keeps it going with a 6 ft SW swell and a moderate offshore wind from the N. It'll be clean, just a bit less powerful than the morning.

Sunday, 30 August is a write-off. The wind cranks up from the SW, cross-onshore, and the sea gets lumpy. Even the afternoon has a weird 17-second period swell that's too long for the cross-shore wind to handle. Not worth the paddle.

Monday, 31 August sees a massive jump in energy – 8666 in the morning and 8331 in the afternoon – with 13 ft SW swell. But the wind is cross to cross-onshore, making it a messy, choppy beast. This is for experts only, and even then, it's a battle. The period is 16-17 seconds, which is very long, and at a reef break, it could be a bit too straight and hard to read.

Tuesday, 1 September is still big, around 12 ft, but the wind is consistently cross-onshore. Poor conditions.

Wednesday, 2 September drops down to 10 ft, but the wind is right onshore in the morning. The afternoon is a bit better at 8 ft, but still a marginal tide.

Thursday, 3 September the swell drops to 6 ft, with a cross-onshore wind. Not great.

Friday, 4 September sees a 8 ft SW swell with a 16-second period, but the wind is cross-shore. The energy is 2802, but the quality is marginal.

Saturday, 5 September is similar – 8 ft SW, 17-second period, cross-shore wind. A lot of energy (3179), but not clean.

Sunday, 6 September the swell holds at 8 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore. Choppy.

Monday, 7 September back to poor conditions with cross-onshore wind.

Tuesday, 8 September offers a glimmer – 8 ft SW swell with a cross-shore wind. Marginal.

Wednesday, 9 September – afternoon is another standout. The wind drops to dead calm – glassy again. The swell is 6 ft from the SW with a 12-second period. Excellent, clean conditions for experienced surfers. The energy is 1278. This is a solid, clean session.

Thursday, 10 September is marginal. The morning has a 7 ft S swell with cross-shore wind, and the afternoon has a 5 ft SW swell with a 16-second period and a clean cross-offshore wind. The long period is worth noting.

Friday, 11 September brings a fresh offshore wind from the N, but it's 22-25 mph. The swell is 10 ft SSW with a 15-second period. That's a strong, clean offshore wind, but it's so strong it'll be hard to paddle into. The energy is 3432. For experts only, and it's a mission.

Saturday, 12 September has a 7 ft SW swell with a clean cross-offshore wind, but it's a strong breeze at 25 mph. Again, a tough paddle.

The best of the bunch is clearly Saturday, 29 August morning with that glassy 7 ft SW swell. The Wednesday, 9 September afternoon glass-off is a close second. The rest of the run is a mix of messy wind and big, raw energy. If you're an expert, the 11th and 12th might be worth a look for the offshore wind, but you'll be fighting the wind.

Stay safe, and don't get caught inside on that big Monday swell.

Rusty.

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