Te Ikaamaru Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. I’m gonna be straight with you – this is a rough stretch for Te Ikaamaru Bay. We’ve got a 16-day window and almost nothing worth paddling out for. The first real surf that shows up is tiny, weak, and mostly blown out. Let’s break it down.

The whole 16-day run is a write-off for decent waves. We’re looking at over two weeks of mostly flat, onshore junk, or howling wind that’ll ruin whatever small bump tries to show. The first six days – from Monday, July 27 right through to Saturday, August 1 – are a total mess. Swell heights barely hit 0.7 ft to 2 ft, with periods as short as 3 to 8 seconds, meaning weak, crumbly, gutless waves. That’s combined energy readings mostly under 50 (weak), except for a brief spike Thursday, July 30 morning when the swell jumps to 6 ft from the NNW with a period of 6 seconds and energy of 201 (moderate). But don’t get excited – it’s blowing 45 km/h onshore, creating nasty, lumpy, blown-out conditions. That’s not surf; that’s a washing machine. By Thursday afternoon and Friday, we’re up to 7 ft (283 energy) and 6 ft (269 energy), but again, onshore winds near gale force (50 km/h). That’s straight-up dangerous for beginners and only for experts if they’re feeling masochistic. For a beginner spot like Te Ikaamaru Bay, that’s way too big and messy.

Then we hit a dead zone. From Sunday, August 2 through to Monday, August 10, there’s basically no swell – flat spells with zero energy, just clean glassy water but no waves. The only tiny exception is Monday, August 3 morning: 3 ft from the NNW, period 4 seconds, with glassy wind and calm conditions. But that’s a short-period windswell, weak energy (22), and it’s cross-on by afternoon. Not a standout.

The last few days, August 11 and 12, tease with a long-period groundswell (15–18 seconds) but only 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft, and it’s cross-on or blown out again. Energy is still weak (under 15). So overall, the best you’re gonna get? Maybe that glassy, tiny 3 ft bump on the 3rd, but it’s barely a knee-high dribble. For a beginner-friendly break that’s fairly exposed to the NW, we need a clean, lined-up swell from the NW with light offshore winds. That never happens. The optimum swell direction is NW, but when it does show, the wind is onshore, or the swell is too small.

Water temp is sitting at about 56°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – not a big deal, but you’ll still want a thick wetsuit.

Honestly, I wouldn’t bother for the next two weeks. The lack of consistency here is pretty normal for this area during this season – it’s not a place that fires often. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, stay home and wax your board. It’ll turn around eventually.

Rusty

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