Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming.

We’ve only got one spot in the mix for the next 16 days, and it’s a serious reef set-up for the big kids. The water is sitting at 70°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so that’s a nice little bonus.

The standout session is hands-down Saturday morning, August 29th at Papa Tangaroa (Tanga-Roa). We’re looking at a clean 7 ft SW groundswell, with a solid 10-second period and a massive combined energy of 1823. The wind is a dead calm 3 mph from the NE, making it glassy. This is prime, clean, powerful reef surf for experienced surfers. The crowd factor is listed as rare, so you might actually have it to yourself.

Saturday afternoon stays clean with a 6 ft SW swell and a moderate offshore breeze from the North at 12 mph, but the high-energy window is the morning.

After that, things get messy. Sunday the 30th sees a strong SW wind shift, turning the surf lumpy and cross-onshore. The swell jumps up to 8 ft by the afternoon, but the wind is ruining it. By Monday the 31st, we’ve got a massive 13 ft SW swell packing a 17-second period and a massive 9100 combined energy, but it’s blown out by a fresh cross-onshore wind. The energy is insane, but it’s a washing machine. That size is only for experts anyway.

The first week of September is a write-off for quality. Tuesday through to the 5th sees solid SW swell (5 ft to 12 ft), but the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, keeping the surface lumpy and choppy. The period is long, but it’s not doing you any favours with the wind.

We get a glimmer of hope on Tuesday morning, September 8th. The swell drops to a more manageable 5 ft from the SW, the wind goes completely glassy from the SE at 0 mph, and the energy drops to a moderate 983. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a quiet, clean morning, but the swell is smaller, so it’s not the bomb the 29th is.

The 9th and 10th bring some cleaner conditions with cross-offshore winds, but the swell holds around 5 ft to 5 ft. Not bad, but not a standout. The energy is moderate.

The second week fades out. From the 11th to the 13th, the swell drops steadily. We end on Sunday, September 13th, with a tiny 2 ft SW swell, glassy wind, and low energy (259). A clean little wave, but nothing to get excited about. The long period (13-14 seconds) will make it gutless at this size.

Bottom line: if you’re an expert and you want the best, you aim for Saturday morning, August 29th. The glassy conditions and pumping SW groundswell are the real deal. The 8th of September is a decent backup for a cleaner, smaller session.

Rusty.

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