Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Papa Tangaroa.

We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming up over the next fortnight. The week starts off with some solid swell but the wind is a right mess, so we’ll have to be patient. The real standout is building towards the end of the second week, and it’s got some serious potential if the conditions line up.

The first call is for Sunday, August 2nd. The morning is a bit average with a 6ft swell from the WSW and that cross-on breeze from the ESE making things a little bumpy. The wave energy is strong (1759), but the quality isn't there yet. The afternoon cleans up nicely though, with a moderate offshore wind from the N and a 5ft SW swell. That’s where you want to be for a few clean ones. The water temp is 69°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Monday, August 3rd, is a write-off. The wind howls from the SSW, then shifts to the SSE, and the swell gets big and messy. Solid energy (3571-5741) but it’s all stormy chop. Not worth a paddle. That messy trend continues right through until the end of the first week – strong cross-onshore winds and big, lumpy surf. The swell hits 12ft on Thursday and Friday with gale-force winds. This is kite-surfing territory, not for paddle surfing.

The second week starts to look a bit more promising. Saturday, August 8th, has a huge 13ft ESE swell, but it’s a cross-off wind and clean. The energy is through the roof (3861), but this is expert-only, big, and powerful. Sunday and Monday, August 9th and 10th, are still clean with cross-off breezes, but the swell is still pumping. The Monday afternoon session on the 10th is a real highlight: 8ft SW swell with a 17-second period, clean with a NE breeze. That’s a proper groundswell with serious juice (3908 energy). The long period will make it a bit more walled-up at the beach, but at a reef like Papa Tangaroa, those long, clean lines will be a dream for experienced surfers.

The real standout, though, is the Thursday, August 13th through to Saturday, August 15th window. Thursday morning is glassy with a 7ft SW swell. That’s a beautiful, clean start. Then Friday, August 14th, is an absolute gem: a 10ft to 12ft SW swell, with a light offshore to cross-off wind from the N and NNW. The energy is massive (3841-4651), and the conditions are clean. This is top-tier, big-wave reef surfing. Saturday, August 15th, holds onto that quality with a 10ft SSW swell and a clean cross-off breeze. Crowds are possible here, but on a day like that, it’s worth sharing.

The last couple of days, August 16th and 17th, back off a bit in size but hold clean conditions. Still a solid option for a wave.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout. The second week gets better, with Monday the 10th being a great session, but the absolute best is the Thursday to Saturday run from the 13th to the 15th. That Friday, August 14th, is the one to circle.

Rusty.

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