Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Te Araroa has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow start, but there’s a couple of moments that’ll get the heart pumping.

First up, the water temp is sitting around 60°, which is just about normal for this time of year – nothing to write home about, but you won’t need a wetsuit quite as thick as mid-winter.

The first few days are a real write-off. We’re looking at Monday through Wednesday with nothing but tiny, weak swell and poor conditions. The odd bit of clean ocean but no power in the water. You’ll be starring at flatness. Thursday morning sees a flicker of life with a 1.0 ft swell from the SE, clean offshore winds, but it’s weak – combined energy of only 42 – so don’t get too excited. Friday picks up a touch: the morning has a 2 ft SE swell with clean conditions, and by the afternoon that swell builds to 4 ft from the SE, energy jumping to 481. It’s still only marginal, but you might find a fun little wave if you’re keen.

Then we hit the first real standout. Sunday, August 9th. The morning is glassy – dead calm, offshore breeze from the SSE. Swell is a solid 7 ft out of the NW with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is a punchy 567. That’s a proper amount of juice. The wind is glass, the waves are clean, and Te Araroa is a beach and point setup, so the NW swell should wrap in nicely. It’s a consistent break, and the crowds are never an issue here. The optimum swell direction is from the NE, but the NW is still going to work well. This is the best session on offer in the first week. Only catch: 7 ft is a bit much for beginners – it’s more for the intermediate to experienced crew.

After that, the week goes sour again. Monday through Wednesday of the following week is a mess of strong winds and rain, with onshore chop. Not worth the paddle. Thursday and Friday are also poor, with strong cross-onshore winds and a messy ocean.

Now, for the second week, we’ve got a major event brewing. Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th are bringing massive swell. Saturday morning has a 12 ft swell from the NW with a combined energy of 1735 – that’s very strong. The wind is light and cross-shore, but the swell is too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s going to be a beast. The point might offer some shelter, but it’s a serious paddle. The afternoon drops to 10 ft, still massive. Sunday is similar: 10 ft to 12 ft NW swell, clean offshore winds, but again, too big for a comfortable session. The energy numbers are huge (1284 to 1615). This is more of a spectacle than a surf session for most of us.

By Monday, August 17th, the swell drops back to a much more manageable 4 ft from the NW, with light offshore winds and clean conditions. That’s a nice, easy day to get back in the water. After that, Tuesday drops right off again into tiny, weak swell.

So, the pick of the 16 days? Sunday, August 9th (morning) is the one. Glassy, 7 ft NW swell, clean and powerful. If you can handle the size, it’s your best bet. The massive stuff on the 15th and 16th is for the brave or the crazy, but not for a fun day out.

Rusty.

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