Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer around Tauranga Bay over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you – it’s gonna be a quiet, frustrating stretch for surfers. The first solid recommendation doesn’t really pop up until the 18th of July, Saturday morning, and even then it’s pretty average. We’ve got a small, clean wave coming in at 2ft from the ESE with a 15-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell, which usually means better-shaped waves, but at this size it’s more of a knee-high dribble. The water temp is sitting at 62°, which is about 1° warmer than usual for this time of year – nothing out of the ordinary. The combined energy is moderate (231). The wind is light and cross-off from the SW, so conditions are clean. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, consistent, and crowds are rare, so if you’re learning or just want to get wet, it’s a passable option. Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning stay small and clean, but the swell drops to 2ft and 2ft, with energy dropping to 170 and 125. Still surfable, but very ordinary.

Monday the 20th is a real low point – the morning goes glassy but the swell is only 1ft with a weak energy of 57. The afternoon turns onshore with a NNW breeze, making it a write-off. Tuesday the 21st brings a jump in size to 5ft from the east, but the period crashes to 7 seconds – that’s short-period, weak windswell – and the energy is moderate (216). The wind is a moderate cross-off from the ESE, so it’s clean, but the quality is poor. This is beach-and-reef setup, and with that lumpy, short-period chop, it’s looking more interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers. The same goes for Wednesday and Thursday – tiny, weak, and mostly poor.

The 26th of July, Sunday, is probably the best of a bad bunch. We get a 2ft ESE swell with a 10-second period, light offshore from the S, and clean conditions. The energy is weak (58), but it’s surfable. The 27th Monday morning has a moderate offshore breeze, but the swell is only 1.0ft – not worth paddling out for.

From the 28th of July onward, it’s a long, dry gap. The swell drops to 0.7ft and 1.0ft, with energy in the 20s and 30s, and the wind is mostly clean but the waves just aren’t there. The 30th gets a little bump from the NW at 4ft, but the period is 6 seconds – terrible windswell – and the wind is cross-onshore making it choppy and poor. The 31st into August has a 1.0ft to 1ft NE groundswell with a very long 18-19 second period, but the energy is weak (92-147) and the size is tiny. It’s just not enough to get excited about.

Honestly, the standout is the Saturday morning of the 18th of July – it’s clean, small, and beginner-friendly, but it’s nothing to write home about. If you’re desperate for a paddle, that’s your window. Otherwise, this forecast is a long, flat run. Keep an eye on updates – these things can change.

Rusty.

Read more