Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s some serious energy brewing later on for those who can handle it.

The first few days are a write-off. Tuesday and Wednesday are blown out with messy onshore winds and poor surf, so don’t even bother. The first real window opens up Thursday the 30th of July. It’s not big, but early morning at Papa Tangaroa (Tanga-Roa) you’ll find clean 4ft SSW swell with a 12-second period. The light WNW breeze is just about perfect, making for some clean, rippable walls. The water temp is a comfortable 69°F—right on the money for this time of year so no surprises there. The swell energy is moderate (1009), but the quality is there for the experienced surfer. This is a good one to get the rust off.

The rest of that week and into the weekend stays clean but small and a bit inconsistent. The winds are cross-off, keeping the surface tidy, but the swell just doesn’t have the juice. The energy drops into the 700-900 range, and the waves are hanging around 5ft to 6ft. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.

Now, hold on to your board. Things get interesting starting Monday the 3rd of August. A big, long-period groundswell is on the way. Monday morning shows 6ft SSW swell at a very long 16 seconds, and the energy is already cranking (2585). The wind is light offshore from the NNE, so the lineup will be clean. By Monday afternoon, it’s a full-on 8ft SSW blast with the same long period, and the wind is fresh offshore. This is proper, powerful groundswell—the kind that makes the reef light up. The energy is massive (4124). This is a standout for experienced surfers only.

Tuesday the 4th of August is the peak of the swell. It’s a beast. We’re looking at 13ft ESE swell in the morning with a near gale-force offshore wind. The energy is off the charts (4467). By the afternoon, it jumps to 18ft with a 11-second period and a near gale howling offshore. The energy is absolutely pumping (7568). This is expert territory, and even then, paddling in will be a mission. The reef will be thick and heavy. If you’re not solid, stay on the beach and watch the show.

The swell drops a bit for Wednesday the 5th of August, with 12ft SE swell and strong offshore winds. It’s still big and clean, but it’s less of a struggle than Tuesday. The energy is still strong (3323). By Thursday the 6th, the swell settles back to a clean 5ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period and light winds. The energy is moderate (1194), making for a fun, mellow morning session for the experienced crew.

The second week sees a few more clean days. Friday the 7th of August is a nice little one for the crew: 3ft SW swell with a 12-second period, and a light offshore breeze. The energy is weak (564), but the conditions are excellent for a small-wave cruiser. The water temp anomaly is still normal. Saturday the 8th starts with a fresh offshore breeze and 4ft SW groundswell with a very long 17-second period, but the lumpy cross-onshore winds ruin it by the afternoon.

After that, it’s a long stretch of poor conditions. From Sunday the 9th right through Tuesday the 11th, the winds are onshore or cross-shore, and the swell is messy. The energy is moderate to strong, but it’s all wind chop. It’s a solid week of ugly surf. Not worth the paddle.

Finally, things clean up again on Wednesday the 12th of August. A solid 10ft SW swell with a 13-second period and light offshore winds from the NW. The energy is strong (2757), and the conditions are clean. This is another standout for the experts. The swell is still powerful, so it’s not for the faint of heart.

That’s the long and short of it. The best bets are Monday the 3rd through Thursday the 6th for the big stuff, and then Wednesday the 12th for another clean, powerful session. The small stuff early on is a nice warm-up, but the real story is the heavy groundswell.

Rusty.

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