Tapuaetahi Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

(Northland, New Zealand)

Forecast
- Hourly Forecast
- 12 Day Forecast
Maps
Live
Weather State
Spot Information

Photo by: Brian

Tapuaetahi Surf Guide

Tapuaetahi in Northland is a fairly exposed reef break that only works once in a while Offshore winds are from the south. Groundswells are more common than windswells and the optimum swell angle is from the northeast. There are left and right breaking reefs. The quality of the surf isn't affected by the tide. Even when there are waves, it's not likley to be crowded. Submerged rocks are a hazard.

Tapuaetahi Spot Info

Type:	Rating:
Reef	5
Reliability:	Todays Sea Temp*:
inconsistent	65°F*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Tapuaetahi:

The best conditions reported for surf at Tapuaetahi occur when a Northeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the South.

Surf Forecasts:

Hourly Forecast

12 Day Forecast

What's the best time of year to surf Tapuaetahi (for consistent clean waves)?

marchBest Season: autumn

The best time of year for surfing Tapuaetahi with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Autumn and most often the month of March. Clean surfable waves are typically found 15% of the time in March while 32% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 53% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.

clean

15%

Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.

blown out

32%

Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).

too small

53%

Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Tapuaetahi Location Map

Interactive Tapuaetahi surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Tapuaetahi is Kerikeri Airport (KKE) in New Zealand, which is 18 km (11 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Tapuaetahi is Kaitaia Airport (KAT), also in New Zealand, 66 km (41 miles) away.

Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (ft)
Live Wind Speed (mph)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (ft)
Wind Speed (mph)

Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.

Tapuaetahi Surf Forecasts:

Hourly Forecast

12 Day Forecast

Todays Surf Summary
Thursday, 29 May 2025, 11:26 Local Time

m, °C	Thursday 29
ft, °F	9AM	12PM	3PM	6PM
Wave (ft)	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW
Period (s)	8	8	9	10
Wind (mph)
Wind State	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on	cross

What does Tapuaetahi look like?

Latest photos from Tapuaetahi. Upload your own or view all photos on the gallery page.

Credit: madphill Credit: Brian

Tides at Tapuaetahi

Current tide and informaton

For Doves Bay, New Zealand, 9 miles from Tapuaetahi.

Next High Water: 09:26pm | 8ft

Next Low Water: 03:03pm | 1ft

NEXT	IS AT (local time)	remaining
high tide
low tide

Tapuaetahi Sea Temperature

The Tapuaetahi water temperature is reasonably warm (18.6 °C) and the air temperature will similar (windchill forecast 16.0 °C). A good quality summer wetsuit would be ideal.

Today, many surfers would wear a summer wetsuit.

Current Temp*: 65°F*ocean temperature recorded from satellite