Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Tauranga Bay has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

First off, it's a bit of a slow start. We're looking at a real dry spell for the first week or so. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The first real glimmer of anything surfable doesn't come until Sunday, August 2nd. Early morning we get a tiny 0.3m NE groundswell with a long 15 second period, and the wind is blowing offshore from the SSE. It's clean, but it's barely a ripple. The combined energy is a weak 73, so you'll be scratching for anything. The afternoon picks up a bit with a 1.0m E swell, but the period drops to a short 7 seconds, making it a bit weak and wobbly, but still clean with that light offshore wind. It's surfable, but just barely.

Monday the 3rd through to Wednesday the 5th is a write-off. We're looking at tiny 0.3m swells with energy readings in the 20s and 30s. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, Thursday the 6th of August brings a glimmer. A 1.1m NNW swell shows up in the morning, but it's a short, fat 5 second period, and the energy is only 94. The wind is light from the ESE, so it's clean. It's still a struggle, but it's the best we've seen in days.

Things get a bit more interesting from Sunday the 9th of August. The morning is a clean 0.6m NE swell (71 energy), and then the afternoon is the highlight of the first week. The wind goes glassy, zero knots out of the NNW, and we get a clean 0.8m NE swell. The energy climbs to 127. It's not big, but for a beginner-friendly spot, that glassy surface and knee-high wave is about as good as it gets for a small day. Get on it.

Now, let's talk about the standout. Monday the 10th of August. This is the one. The morning brings a massive 4.5m ESE swell, with a 10 second period. The energy reading is a massive 5856. The wind is blowing a solid 16 mph from the south, offshore. The file says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break, and honestly, for a beginner spot, it is. Over 8ft, this is for experts only. That 15ft on a fairly exposed beach setup is going to be a beast. It's a clean, powerful, and dangerous day. If you're not a seasoned charger, stay on the beach and watch.

The rest of that week into the 15th stays pretty average. We get a lot of wind from the east, with cross-shore and cross-onshore conditions making things lumpy. The swells hover around 5ft to 7ft with moderate energy, but the wind just messes it up. Tuesday the 11th has 8ft E swell but 25 mph cross-winds making it a total mess.

So, to wrap it up: The first week is for small-wave groveling or a rest. The absolute standout is the morning of Monday the 10th of August, but it's a serious, expert-only session. Everything else is a bit of a mixed bag. If you're a beginner, the glassy Sunday the 9th is your best bet.

Rusty.

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