Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright surfers, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's coming our way at Papa Tangaroa (Tanga-Roa).

We're kicking off with a bit of a mixed bag. The water's sitting at a toasty 71°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The action starts on Wednesday, July 8th in the afternoon. It's a bit cloudy with a light southerly breeze, and we've got a 6ft swell from the SSW. The energy is moderate (953), but the conditions are described as marginal, so don't expect perfection.

Moving into Thursday, July 9th, the morning is the real standout. Grab your board early! There's light rain, but the wind is glassy from the WSW, and the ocean is a clean 4ft from the SW with a nice 13-second period. The combined energy is moderate (617), but that glassy wind is a major positive—it's going to be clean. The afternoon stays good with a 4ft SW swell and a stiff offshore NNW breeze at 12 mph, keeping things clean and lined up.

Now, Friday, July 10th is a write-off for surfing. The morning has a bumpy 5ft with a strong cross-offshore wind, but the afternoon turns into a beast. We're looking at a massive 18ft swell from the W with a short period of 10 seconds and gale-force cross-shore winds. The energy is through the roof (6428), but this is strictly for the kitesurfers. Paddle surfing is a no-go.

Saturday, July 11th starts messy with a 8ft S swell and cross-onshore winds. But the afternoon? That's a second standout. The wind swings to a clean cross-offshore from the W, and we get a solid 6ft SW swell. The energy is strong (1226), and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is your window.

Sunday, July 12th is a write-off with poor conditions, and Monday, July 13th is a beauty. The whole day is clear with a light cross-offshore ENE breeze, pushing a 5ft to 5ft SSE swell. The energy is strong (1032–1070), and the conditions are clean. Another excellent day for those who know what they're doing.

After that, Tuesday, July 14th is marginal with strong NW winds, and the rest of the week through Thursday, July 17th is mostly poor with strong cross-onshore winds and messy, choppy waves. The swell gets big again on the 15th and 16th (10ft), but it's too windy and short-period to be any good for paddling.

Looking further out, Saturday, July 18th morning offers a brief window with a clean offshore N wind and a 4ft WSW swell, but it's a short-lived opportunity. Then Monday, July 20th is a dud.

The real late-season highlight might be Tuesday, July 21st. The morning is looking excellent with a 7ft W swell, a light offshore N breeze at 6 mph, and strong energy (1279). It's clean, and the period is 11 seconds, so it will have some punch. This is one for the experienced crew, as 7ft is getting solid.

The final few days from Wednesday, July 22nd onward are a bit of a letdown with cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions, despite some long-period energy.

In short, the best bets are Thursday morning, July 9th for the glassy conditions, and Saturday afternoon, July 11th and Monday, July 13th for the clean, powerful surf. The long-range Tuesday, July 21st is promising but not a sure thing yet.

Rusty.

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