Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on offer around here.

Alright, the outlook is a bit of a slow burner for the first few days, but there's a couple of real gems waiting for us. The main player is Papa Tangaroa, a reef break that's exposed and picks up the best juice from the south. The water is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The week starts off a bit average. Wednesday morning, the 2nd, is a no-go with a 8ft SW swell and onshore wind, so it's a mess. The pattern continues through Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with the swell hovering around 6ft to 8ft, but the wind is from the SE or ESE, which is cross-onshore. It's choppy and just not the good stuff. The combined wave energy is moderate, ranging from 1287 to 2948, but the wind kills it.

Now, we get a window. Monday, the 7th of September, is the first real standout. The morning has a 7ft swell from the SW with a solid 14-second period, and the wind is light and offshore from the NNE. The energy is a strong 1623, and it's described as clean. This is the pick of the first week. The afternoon is also good, with a slightly smaller 6ft wave and a gentle offshore breeze. This is proper surf for experienced surfers.

Tuesday the 8th is a bit of a write-off. The morning is blown out by a 22 mph offshore wind, and the afternoon is howling with 34 mph cross-offshore winds, dropping the swell to 4ft. The energy drops to 939. The wind is just too strong.

Then we have a massive, unsurfable spike on the 9th of September. An 18ft swell from the west hits with a 12-second period, but the wind is a screaming 28-31 mph from the NW. The energy is a beastly 7537, but it's a kiteboarder's dream, not a paddle surfer's. The ocean is a washing machine.

The 10th has leftover energy, but the wind is still strong from the WNW at 22-25 mph. The swell is 6ft, but it's cross-off and messy. Not worth it.

The 11th and 12th of September bring a return to smaller, cleaner conditions. The swell drops to 3ft to 5ft, and the wind is lighter, but it's cross-shore or cross-onshore. The energy is moderate (1040-1663). It's a possibility, but not a standout.

The 13th and 14th are again blown out, with strong cross-shore winds and messy conditions.

Now, here's the second standout. Monday, the 14th of September, the afternoon session has a 5ft swell from the south with a 10-second period, but the wind swings to a moderate offshore from the north. The energy is 1126, and it's described as clean. This is a solid option for experienced surfers.

Tuesday the 15th of September is also worth a look. The afternoon has a 7ft swell from the south, a 10-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the north. The energy is 1225. That's another clean window.

The final big call is on the 16th of September. The morning has a 15ft swell from the south with a 11-second period, but the wind is a light cross-shore. The energy is a massive 4816. The afternoon, however, is the top pick of the entire forecast. The swell drops to a still-large 12ft from the south, but the wind becomes a light cross-offshore from the NW. The energy is 3015, and it's described as excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers. The 17th of September morning also looks good, with a 10ft SSE swell and a 12-second period, light cross-offshore wind, and clean conditions. This is big, powerful, and clean. Only for the experts, but it is a barrel.

The 8ft swell is too big for beginners, and the 12ft to 15ft swells are strictly for experts only. The long-period swells (14-16 seconds) at Papa Tangaroa, being a reef, will shape up nicely, but the very long period of 20 seconds on the 15th of September morning might make it a bit too straight for some.

Papa Tangaroa is a fairly consistent break, but it can get crowded. With the quality on offer, you can expect a few locals out, so be respectful.

Rusty.

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