Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got a look at the next 16 days for the Westport region. Let’s be straight with you – this run is a test of patience.

We’re looking at Tauranga Bay, a beach and point setup that usually handles a west-southwest groundswell, but for the first week, the wind and conditions are just brutal. There’s a massive amount of energy in the water, with the combined swell energy hitting values like 6817, but it’s all for nothing when the wind is screaming. Right now, the water temp is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be shocked by that.

The first real chance to get wet doesn’t look promising until Wednesday the 26th, and even then it’s a marginal call. The swell is a solid 8 ft from the west, with a long 14-second period, so there’s power, but the wind is light and cross-onshore, creating small ripples. It’s not the clean stuff you dream about. The rest of that week is a mess – strong winds, lumpy chop, and poor surf conditions dominate.

There’s a notable gap from Thursday the 28th all the way through to the start of September where the recommendations are shot. You get one day, Friday the 28th, where the combination of wind and tide looks good on paper, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break at 12 ft. That’s expert-level size and messy, so only the brave should look.

The true standout, and I mean the only one, is looking at Saturday the 5th of September through to the morning of Sunday the 6th. You’ll want to mark your calendar for this one. Saturday morning brings a clean 13 ft west swell with light offshore easterlies. The wind is creating clean lines, but at that size, it’s going to be a big, powerful groundswell with a 16-second period. This is a point break setup, so it should handle the size better than a beach break, but it’s still big – only for experienced surfers. The energy is massive, with a combined swell energy of 13205 on Saturday afternoon, and the wind stays favorable. Sunday morning looks even better with glassy conditions, a slight air, and an 12 ft west swell. That’s your window. The swell is big and long-period, so expect long sets and plenty of power.

After that, the conditions fade back into marginal or poor territory with stronger winds through the second week. It’s a one-hit-wonder kind of forecast.

So, if you’re looking for peace, that Saturday and Sunday window is the only true standout. Get on it if you can handle some size.

Rusty.

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