Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's get into it. We've got a solid 16-day window ahead for Papa Tangaroa, a reef break that's a consistent performer but can get very serious. The water’s sitting at 21°, which is right on the money for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook kicks off on Monday the 20th of July with a morning session that's looking alright. We've got a 4ft swell from the WSW, with a moderate 12 mph offshore NNE breeze. It's clean, but the energy is only moderate (616) and the period is short at 11 seconds, so it won't be the standout. The afternoon goes downhill fast with a stronger 22 mph offshore wind and a drop in size to 3ft.

Tuesday the 21st starts with a bit of a cross-off wind and a 3ft SW swell, but the real story is the energy it's packing – those 24-second periods on a 3ft wave are insane, pushing the combined energy to 1986. That's a very long period groundswell, which will groove beautifully on this reef, but it won't be a big wave. The afternoon turns into a choppy mess.

Now, the real highlight is Wednesday the 22nd of July. The morning session is a standout. We’ve got a 7ft SW swell – that's a solid expert wave – blowing over your head, with a 9 mph cross-off wind from the WNW. The combined energy is a beastly 5337, and the period is a long 19 seconds. This is proper groundswell, the kind that barrels on a reef like this. The wind is light, the conditions are clean, and it's set up for a serious session. The afternoon pumps up to 10ft, but the wind picks up a bit – still clean, but that's a proper heavy wave.

Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are a write-off. The wind swings onshore or cross-shore with strong breezes, and the swell size jumps up to 15ft. That's massive, but the wind is just ruining it. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We get a bit of a reprieve on Sunday the 26th with a big 12ft SSW swell and a light offshore SSE wind in the morning, but the period is a bit shorter and the wind is tricky. It's marginal.

The next real standout is Wednesday the 29th of July. The afternoon session is glassy. Absolutely glassy. A 3 mph wind from the ENE, with a 6ft SW swell and a 14-second period. The combined energy is 1451. That's a clean, long-period wave with no wind ripple. Perfect conditions for experienced surfers.

The final standout is Monday the 3rd of August. The morning is also glassy, with a 3ft SW swell and a 20-second period. The energy is moderate (2240), but the period is incredibly long. That wave will stand up perfectly on this reef. The afternoon keeps it clean with a 4ft SW swell and a light offshore. The next day, Tuesday the 4th of August, is very similar with clean, cross-off conditions and 4ft waves.

So, the best on offer is the morning of Wednesday the 22nd for the size and power, and the glassy sessions on Wednesday the 29th of July and Monday the 3rd of August for the absolute perfection when the wind drops.

Rusty.

Read more