Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The next couple of weeks are a classic tale of two halves. We’ve got a real dry spell to kick things off, then a late bloom of solid groundswell that could save the whole run.

So, the first thing you need to know is that the good stuff is not here yet. From Wednesday the 29th of July all the way through to the morning of Saturday the 9th of August, you might as well tie your board to the roof rack and leave it there. That’s a solid ten-day stretch where the waves are either tiny, messy, or just plain flat. There’s a couple of afternoons, like Friday the 31st of July and Saturday the 1st of August, where you’ll see a clean surface from a light offshore breeze, but the swell is so small it’s barely a ripple. It’s a great time to wash the car or check your gear, but not for surfing.

Now, the wait is finally over on Sunday the 9th of August. That’s when the ocean wakes up. Don’t get too excited for the first day though – it’s big, but the wind is howling. We’re looking at a solid 12 ft swell from the east with a 10-second period, but that strong breeze is going to keep things lumpy. The combined wave energy is massive though, clocking in at 2408, which is a lot of water moving around. This is for the big boys only, and even then, it’s a bit of a battle.

The real standout – and I mean the *only* one worth circling on your calendar – is Wednesday the 12th of August. Tauranga Bay is the spot. The water temp is sitting around 61°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The morning is where it’s at. We’ve got a clean 8 ft groundswell from the ENE, humming along with a 12-second period. That’s long-period energy, which means proper lines and plenty of push. The wind is a light offshore from the SSE, keeping the faces glassy and clean. This is serious surf – 8 ft is right on the edge of expert territory, so if you’re not comfortable in heavy water, give it a miss. The combined energy is 1777, which is strong, but the conditions are dialed in. For the experienced crew, this is as good as it gets.

The morning of Thursday the 13th of August is also a beauty. The swell drops slightly to 8 ft, but the period stretches to 13 seconds, which is even longer. The wind is a light offshore again, and it’s clean. It’s a worthy follow-up to Wednesday, but Wednesday is the peak.

A few things to note: Tauranga Bay is a consistent break, and it’s fairly exposed to the east. The optimum swell direction is from the NE, and this ENE swell is close enough to work. The crowds are rare here, so you might have a few waves to yourself, which is a bonus. But remember, this is a point break setup, so that long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely, giving you those long, rippable walls. The beach breaks will be too straight with that period, but here it’s a dream.

So, to sum it up: suffer through the first ten days of nothing, then be ready for Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th of August. That’s your window. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

Read more