Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Papa Tangaroa (Tanga-Roa). This is a reef break, so it needs the right direction and tide to work its magic. Fair warning: it’s a spot for the experienced crew only, and it doesn’t break all that often, but when it does, it can be special.

The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is pretty much spot on average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Alright, the first few days? Honestly, there’s nothing to ride. Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th are a write-off – cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions, with the swell not doing us any favours. The combined energy for Wednesday morning is 393 (weak), and it climbs to 1940 (moderate) by Thursday morning, but the wind’s just ruining it. We’re looking at a gap of no decent surf until the following week.

Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th are still pretty ordinary. The wind is cross or cross-on, the swell is messy, and the scores are low. You’d be wasting your time.

Now, Sunday the 19th? Forget it. Onshore winds and poor conditions.

But then, Monday the 20th of July. This is the first real standout. We’ve got a clean morning with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NE, and the swell is a tidy 4 ft from the WSW with an 11-second period. The combined energy is 602 (moderate). The afternoon gets even better – a moderate offshore from the NNE, swell drops to 3 ft but the period stretches out to 16 seconds, which is a very long groundswell. That’s prime for a reef like this, giving you longer, more powerful waves. The wind is clean, and the conditions are calling for “very good surf.” This is your window. Crowds are rare here, so you might have it to yourself.

Tuesday the 21st? The swell picks up but the wind swings cross and fresh, so it’s lumpy again. Not worth it.

Wednesday the 22nd morning has a clean cross-offshore and a solid 7 ft swell from the SW at 19 seconds, with combined energy at 3872 (strong). The score is decent, but the afternoon goes south with a strong cross-onshore.

Now, Thursday the 23rd of July – this is the big one. Morning brings a gentle cross-offshore breeze, a 8 ft swell from the WSW at 16 seconds, and combined energy of 4406 (strong). The conditions are described as “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s a massive call. This is a serious, powerful swell hitting a reef break. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but for the experts, this is the best of the whole run. The wind is clean, the swell direction is right, and it’s a true standout.

Friday the 24th through to the end of the month? It’s mostly big, messy, and blown out. The swell gets huge – up to 20 ft by the 26th – but the wind is cross-on or onshore, making it a washing machine. Saturday the 27th has a moment: a 16 ft swell from the SSW with a 13-second period, and a moderate offshore wind in the afternoon. The combined energy is 9223 (very strong), and the score is high. But it’s a massive, powerful swell, and with that period, it might be a bit too straight for a beach break, but at a reef, it could be a freight train. Only for the very brave.

Overall, the best surf on offer is Monday the 20th for a clean, fun session, and Thursday the 23rd for the true expert-level, powerful, clean conditions. After that, it’s a lottery of wind and size.

Rusty.

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