Te Awanga Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a strange one for Te Awanga over the next couple of weeks. A lot of size and power on the way, but it’s gonna be pushing the limits for this spot – a solid south swell is forecast, but the scale of it is going to make it a session for experienced crew only. The water’s sitting at 53°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a 4/3.

We kick off Sunday, August 16th. There’s an 12-foot south-southeast swell rolling in with a 9-second period, and the energy is pumping – we’re talking 2120 in the tank. The wind’s a strong cross-off from the south-southwest at 25 mph, so it’s clean enough, but this swell is just too big for Te Awanga. It’s a fellow that can’t handle that much water. Monday the 17th isn’t much different – 12 feet again in the morning, with a fresh offshore from the south-southwest at 19 mph, and the energy is sky-high at 2227. The afternoon drops a touch to 10 feet, but that’s still a big, powerful wave.

Tuesday the 18th sees a drop. The morning brings 4 feet from the southeast with 10-second period and a fresh offshore wind from the southwest at 22 mph, but the quality is poor – the energy is moderate at 373. Not worth the paddle. Wednesday the 19th, boom – it’s back to big. 15 feet from the south, 12-second period, and the energy is huge at 4983. The wind is a fresh offshore in the morning, but again, this is way too much for the break. Thursday the 20th is the first real standout. Morning session sees 6 feet south swell with a 13-second period – nice long lines – and light cross-off wind from the west at 6 mph. The energy is a solid 1203, and the report says excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This window on Thursday morning is the pick of the first week. Clean, solid, and that long period means the waves will have some push.

From Friday the 21st onward, the swell fades fast. Friday morning has 5 feet from the south, 12-second period, with clean conditions and light cross-off wind. It’s surfable, but nothing special. The next two weeks then drop into a long, quiet spell. We are talking a proper lull from Friday afternoon all the way through to early Saturday, August 29th. That’s about a 9-day gap with almost nothing. Swell drops to 1 foot or less, period is all over the place, and the winds turn cross or onshore. It’s flat, flat, flat.

Then, on Saturday, August 29th, a big pulse arrives in the morning. 8 feet south swell with a 12-second period, glassy conditions with a light westerly, and the energy is back up at 1805. The report calls it excellent for experienced surfers. That is the other standout – a solid, clean groundswell on a glassy morning. The afternoon drops to 6 feet, but the wind goes cross from the southeast, so the morning is the go.

After that, the swell backs off again. Sunday the 30th has a small 2 feet south swell in the morning with a light offshore, and Monday the 31st has a 5 feet south swell but with a fresh cross-off wind from the southeast at 22 mph – not clean enough to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: Thursday the 20th morning is your best bet for a solid, clean session that isn’t out of control, and Saturday the 29th morning is a promising, glassy, big-wave option for the experts. That long gap in between is brutal, but it’s the price you pay for a spot like this. Keep an eye on the forecast, because things can change.

Rusty.

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