Te Ikaamaru Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Te Ikaamaru Bay.

Honestly, it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’re looking at a long, barren run right through the first week and a half with next to nothing rideable. The water is sitting at 55°F, which is pretty much average for the time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

From Thursday the 13th right through to Monday the 24th of August, it’s mostly flat or tiny, messy junk. The early days throw up a bit of weak, short-period windswell but it’s all cross-onshore or howling, so expect chop and no real shape. The 14th through the 17th sees clean conditions with light offshore breezes, but the swell is a joke – barely a ripple. There’s a glassy window on Tuesday the 18th afternoon with the wind dropping to zero, but again, the swell is practically non-existent with a 2-second period and combined energy of just 1. Basically a lake. For beginners, there’s nothing to learn on.

The wind cranks up again mid-week, and by Saturday the 22nd we finally see a pulse of swell. Saturday afternoon brings a 5ft swell from the NW with a 6-second period, but the wind is howling onshore at 19 mph, so it’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. Combined energy hits 133, so there’s some power, but not for paddling.

The real standout, and the only time worth circling on the calendar, is Thursday the 27th of August. Afternoon sees a clean 8ft swell from the north with a 7-second period and light offshore winds from the SE at 6 mph. That’s the best combination in the whole outlook. Combined energy is a solid 460, meaning proper punch. The water temperature data for that day isn’t given, but the setup is right. This one’s for experienced surfers only – 8ft is too big for beginners. The swell direction is right on the money for what Te Ikaamaru Bay likes. It’s a fairly consistent spot, but you’ll want to be aware it can get crowded sometimes, especially on a day like that.

Friday the 28th afternoon also looks promising, with a 7ft NW swell and glassy conditions, winds dropping to zero. Combined energy of 502. Another expert-only day, but clean and punchy. The swell period is a touch short at 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit walled-up at times.

So to sum it up: you’ve got nearly two weeks of flat or poor surf, then a brief window of proper, clean, offshore swell right at the very end of the outlook. That Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon are the only true standouts.

Rusty.

Read more