Te Ikaamaru Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Te Ikaamaru Bay has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a rough stretch ahead. This is a beginner-friendly, fairly consistent spot that’s fairly exposed to the swell, and it likes a NW direction best. The water temp is sitting about 57°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so not a bad thing if you’re getting in.

The outlook is pretty grim right from the get-go. Thursday the 10th kicks off with a strong southerly breeze at 28 mph and cross-off wind, but the swell is a tiny 2 feet from the NNW with a weak period of 6 seconds, and the energy is next to nothing (22). Poor surf. We’ve got a long gap of flat, junk conditions through the rest of the week and into the weekend. Friday the 11th offers nothing – a bit of NW swell but hammered by strong winds. Saturday the 12th has a glassy moment in the afternoon with a 1-foot NW groundswell (period 16 seconds) and zero wind – that’s a pretty window, but the energy is a measly 43, so don’t expect much more than a dribble. The rest of the first week is a write-off: tiny waves, cross-onshore winds, and messy seas.

Now, looking into the second week, things actually start to show a bit of life, but it comes with serious wind. Monday the 15th has a bit more size – 4 feet from the NNW but that’s a short 5-second period and strong cross-onshore winds making a mess. Tuesday the 16th is where we see the biggest pulse of the whole forecast: an 8-foot NNW swell with a 7-second period and combined energy shooting up to 729. That’s a lot of water moving, but the wind is howling onshore from the NW at 28 mph. That’s big and ugly – only for experts if you’re desperate, and honestly it looks more like a kite-surfing day than a paddle session. Wednesday morning the 16th is even bigger at 8 feet with 729 energy, but again, strong onshore winds. The afternoon of the 16th is the one bright spot in the whole forecast: the wind swings SE at just 9 mph, blowing offshore, and the swell drops to a more manageable 4 feet from the NNW. The period is still short (7 seconds) but the energy is moderate (172) and conditions are clean. That’s the pick of the entire 16-day run – a brief window of clean, offshore conditions with surfable waves.

After that, it’s back to the grind. Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th see sizeable swell (5 to 7 feet) but the wind is all over the place – mostly onshore or strong cross-off. Saturday the 19th is the biggest of the lot: an 8-foot NW swell with a short 7-second period and gale-force onshore winds at 43 mph. Combined energy is 766, but it’ll be a washing machine. The final few days into the 25th are a mix of small, weak swells and messy cross-onshore winds, nothing to write home about.

So, to sum it up: there’s a long, flat, and windy gap for the first week. The standout is the afternoon of Wednesday the 16th of September at Te Ikaamaru Bay, with a clean offshore breeze and a solid 4-foot swell. That’s your best chance. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too big and messy. Hang in there.

Rusty.

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