Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cooking for Tauranga Bay over the next couple of weeks. I've gotta be straight with you, it's a pretty quiet stretch ahead. The first solid recommendation doesn't pop up until we're well into the period, so we're looking at a long gap of small, messy, or flat days before anything really gets going.

Starting from Sunday the 23rd of August, it's a write-off. We've got a weak 2ft NW windswell with a short, choppy period of just 4 to 5 seconds, and a cross-onshore breeze making a mess of things. The wave energy is low, sitting around 21 to 49, and conditions are poor. Not worth paddling out for.

That theme continues through Monday and Tuesday the 24th and 25th. Tiny ankle-biters, even if the wind goes offshore or glassy, the swell just isn't there to ride. We get a bit of glass on Wednesday morning the 26th, but again, it's barely a ripple – basically a lake. This run of nothing really extends all the way through to the end of the month.

Now, towards the end of the first week and into the second, we start to see a pulse of energy, but the wind is the enemy. Friday the 28th sees a bump in size to 3ft to 4ft from the north, with wave energy climbing to 148. But it's onshore, rainy, and messy. Not your friend.

The first real window of hope arrives on Saturday the 29th of August. The swell is still modest at 3ft from the NE, but we get a clean, cross-offshore wind from the SW. The wave energy is a solid 120 (moderate). This is the best we've seen. The consistency at Tauranga Bay is good, and it's a beginner-friendly spot, so this could be a fun morning for a learner or someone on a longboard.

That cleaner trend continues into Sunday the 30th. The morning looks good with a 3ft NE swell, a period of 10 seconds, and clean cross-off winds. Wave energy hits 182, which is the strongest of the run so far. This is a standout window. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing too wild. Keep in mind, the optimum swell direction is NE, so this is right in the groove.

Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September offer more of the same – 2ft to 3ft NE swell with clean morning conditions. The wave energy stays in the moderate range (113 to 139). It's consistent, but nothing huge.

Then things get a bit lumpy again mid-week with stronger cross-onshore winds and a smaller, shorter-period swell. The end of the forecast window, around the 4th and 5th of September, shows a bit more size (4ft to 5ft) but it's from the NW with a short period and onshore winds, so expect chop. The energy spikes up to 215 on Friday afternoon, but it's messy. For a beach setup like this, that kind of onshore wind and short period makes it more of a kite-surfing session than a clean paddle surf.

So, to wrap it up: the standout mornings are Sunday the 30th of August, and then Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September. Clean, consistent, waist-to-chest high NE swell. It's not going to blow your mind, but for a beginner or someone wanting a cruisy session, that's your window. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too far away to get excited about just yet.

Stay tuned, forecasts can change. This is Rusty, signing off.

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