Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your wetsuit and listen up. Rusty here with a look at what’s cookin’ at Te Araroa. It’s gonna be a long wait for the good stuff, so patience is the name of the game.

The first week is a write-off, I'm not gonna lie. Monday the 20th through to Sunday the 27th is almost a full bust. There’s tiny, messy swell with cross-off winds all week, and the wave energy is weak, barely cracking 200 (209) on the best day. Most of it is under 100, which is flat-out feeble. You're looking at knee-high dribble and poor conditions. Don't bother paddling out until things change.

Forget the first week. The first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday the 28th. Monday the 27th afternoon gives you a little 3ft ESE swell, but the quality is still ordinary. But come Tuesday morning, we finally get a pulse. The swell jumps to a clean 4ft out of the ESE at 12 seconds, with the combined energy surging to 484 (moderate wave energy). The wind swings offshore from the SW at only 3 mph, and by the afternoon it goes glassy. That afternoon session on Tuesday the 28th is your standout for the whole run: 5ft of clean SE groundswell at 12 seconds and absolutely glassy conditions. The water temp is 61°, which is a touch warmer than usual for the time of year, so it won’t be too bitey. This is the best the joint will look.

The run of fun swell holds into Wednesday the 29th with 5ft SE swell at 13 seconds, but the cross-off wind gets a bit stiffer at 12 mph, so it won't be as perfect as Tuesday. Energy is strong though, hitting 780. Thursday the 30th also has solid 4ft swell with lighter winds. Then we’re back to waiting.

For the second week, the pattern shifts. A new, shorter-period swell from the WNW builds into the weekend. On the 1st of August, there's a 5ft WNW swell but it’s short period at 6 seconds, so it’ll be weak and crumbly. Come Sunday the 2nd, we see a better 6ft NW swell at 8 seconds with clean offshore winds. It’s not as clean or long-period as the 28th, but it's the best of the second week.

The big news for experienced surfers only is Tuesday the 4th of August. Swell jumps to a solid 7ft from the NW at 7 seconds with strong energy (510) and clean offshore wind. That's expert territory, and the shorter period means it won’t be the prettiest, but the power will be there. The afternoon gets a bit messy with rain and stronger wind.

So, to wrap it up: if you want the cleanest, best-shaped waves, make a plan for Tuesday the 28th of July. That afternoon looks magic. For the second week, Sunday the 2nd of August has the best combo of size and clean conditions. The rest is mostly a waiting game.

- Rusty

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