Tawharanui Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Tawharanui's got cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days look pretty lean for a proper surf at Tawharanui. We're going to be waiting a while for anything that even gets close to being rideable. The pattern is mostly onshore slop or tiny clean dribble. Right now, the water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

We kick off this Saturday and Sunday, the 8th and 9th of August, with a northerly wind and cross-onshore chop that's just gonna make it a mess. The combined swell energy jumps up to 166 on Sunday morning, but paired with 16 mph cross-onshore winds, it's a write-off.

Now, there is a small window. On Monday the 10th, things clean up nicely. We get a clear sky and a light offshore wind from the WSW, swinging to cross-off in the arvo. The swell is a tiny 4 ft from the north with an 8-second period. The combined energy is weak to moderate at 185. It's surfable, but it's ordinary. This is the closest we get to a standout, but only because everything else is so poor. For a beginner, that 4 ft swell is manageable, but it's not going to be a classic.

Tuesday the 11th morning is absolutely glassy, with the wind going flat calm – a rare treat. But the swell has already dropped to 3 ft with a weak energy reading of 94. You'd be on a longboard just trying to catch a ripple. It's pretty for a paddle, but not a surf. The afternoon turns onshore again, so forget it.

Then from Wednesday the 12th right through to the end of the 16-day run, it's a long, boring stretch. There's a brief moment on Friday afternoon the 14th where the wind goes offshore again, but the swell is only 3 ft with a short period. After that, the wind cranks up from the SW, blowing offshore but with almost no swell – readings as low as 2 for the combined energy. By the 19th and 20th, we're looking at 0.3 ft surf, which is basically a lake. The last couple of days, the 22nd and 23rd, show a little pop to 2 ft, but with a strong easterly wind, it's just lumpy and messy.

The best I can say is if you're desperate for a splash, Monday the 10th morning offers the cleanest conditions with that light offshore. But honestly, for the foreseeable future, keep your board in the car and your expectations low. The wind is mostly wrong, and the swell just isn't showing up. Because Tawharanui is a beach and reef setup, when it's this small and sloppy, it's not even interesting for a kite session. Just a waiting game.

Rusty.

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