Tawharanui Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Not gonna lie, this is a tough stretch ahead for Tawharanui. We are looking at a long, flat, and poor run of surf for the next week and a half, with the only flicker of life showing up right at the end of the 16-day window.

Straight off the bat, there is very little to get excited about. We kick off Friday the 21st with a tiny 1-foot east swell, period a weak 10 seconds, and combined energy sitting at a paltry 17 – that is barely a ripple. The water temp is 57°, which is just about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there to report. The wind is light offshore out of the WSW on Friday morning, but with no swell to work with, it is still a flat, clean morning with no real surf. Friday afternoon is more of the same, a cross-off breeze, same tiny 1-foot swell.

Saturday the 22nd is even smaller – dropping to 0.7 feet in the morning and then 0.3 feet in the afternoon, despite a longer 14-second period on that afternoon pulse. The energy levels are almost non-existent, around 9-11. It is flat.

Sunday the 23rd sees a bump up to 3 feet from the NNW (305°), but the period is a shocking 5 seconds – short period, weak, onshore energy. The combined energy climbs to 44-61, which is still weak. A 15-18 mph cross-shore wind is blowing, creating a moderate cross-chop. The water temp anomaly stays normal, but the surf quality is poor.

From Monday the 24th right through to Sunday the 30th of August, the story is the same: tiny 0.3-foot to 4-foot swells with periods ranging from weak 4 seconds up to a little more organised 11 seconds, but the wave comment is "poor surf conditions" across the board. Combined energy sits weakly between 5 and 119. Winds are all over the place – offshore, cross-off, cross-on – but none of it matters because there is just no decent swell to work with. It is a long, flat gap.

We finally see a tiny glimmer on Monday the 31st of August. The morning has 2 feet from the NE at 10 seconds, combined energy jumps to 98, and – get this – the wind goes glassy, NW at 3 mph. The wave comment finally changes to "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." At long last, we have some clean, glassy conditions with a small but rideable swell. This is the standout of the whole forecast, but it is only a 2-foot wave, so it is a mellow beginner-friendly day. The crowds at Tawharanui are "often" busy, so expect company.

That afternoon the swell bumps to 3 feet, but the wind swings onshore from the NE, and the energy jumps to 325 (moderate energy), but the quality gets wrecked by the onshore wind.

Tuesday the 1st of September through Wednesday the 2nd of September looks poor again – onshore winds, messy chop, lumps. The combined energy spikes to 211 on Tuesday morning from a 3-foot ENE swell at 10 seconds, but the cross-onshore from the NNE at 15 mph ruins it.

Thursday the 3rd of September offers some hope: a fresh offshore breeze from the SW at 21-22 mph, but the swell is only 2 feet from the ENE at 10 seconds. Clean, but small. Combined energy is weak at 70-72.

The last few days, Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of September, show "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" with 2-foot to 3-foot swell. Saturday morning looks best with a 3-foot NNE swell, period 6 seconds, offshore wind from the WSW at 3 mph – glassy and clean, combined energy at 89 (weak). It’s surfable, but nothing special.

Bottom line: There is only a small, clean window on Monday the 31st of August morning for the absolute best of a bad run. That early glassy setup with a 2-foot NE swell is your only real chance for a clean paddle. Everything else is flat, small, or wind-affected. If you are desperate, wait for that Monday morning, but keep expectations low.

Rusty.

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