Tuhawaiki Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you – the outlook for Tuhawaiki Point over the next couple of weeks is a real mixed bag, and honestly, mostly one to sit out. We've got a few moments where the ocean might give a little nod, but nothing that'll have you ringing in sick for work.

The next few days, from Saturday the 22nd through to the 24th, it's pretty grim. We're looking at tiny, weak swell – around 1 ft to 2 ft – with poor surf conditions across the board. The wind is all over the shop, and the combined energy is just a whisper, sitting between 24 and 176 (weak to barely moderate). Not worth getting wet for.

Monday the 24th morning is the first real "surfable" moment, but it's 2 ft from the SSE with a period of 13 seconds. The cross-offshore wind from the WNW at 9 mph will keep it clean, but it's very ordinary. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

Now, Wednesday the 26th morning is the standout in this whole forecast. We've got 3 ft of swell from the SSE, with a period of 14 seconds – that's a nice long-period groundswell that'll wrap into the point. The wind is a light NNW at 3 mph, so it's clean with a cross-offshore flow. The combined energy jumps to 494 (moderate), and the score says "expect good surf conditions." For this inconsistent point break, that's a rare treat. The crowd factor is "sometimes," so you might have a few mates out, but it's worth the paddle. Keep in mind that long period can make the sets a bit gappy, but here at the point, that's a good thing for shape.

We then hit a dry spell from Thursday the 27th through to Monday the 31st. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2 ft, and the conditions are poor or just "surfable but very ordinary." The energy is weak, bouncing between 11 and 156. Nothin' to get excited about.

Tuesday morning, September 2nd, is a real tease. We've got a building 5 ft swell from the SSE with a period of 15 seconds, producing a combined energy of 934 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-off from the NNW, so it'll be clean. The score is a marginal "2" and it says "questionable tide conditions," so it could be a bit of a gamble. But it's the biggest swell we've seen.

Then things get messy. That Tuesday afternoon, the wind swings to a strong S'ly at 25 mph, turning the 8 ft swell into a cross-shore mess. The energy hits 3106 (very strong), but for paddle surfing, that's a no-go. That setup, with a big swell, strong wind, and a point break, might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle session.

We finish the outlook with a bit of hope on Saturday, September 5th. The morning brings 3 ft of swell from the SSE, period 10 seconds, with a light cross-offshore NNW wind at 6 mph. The combined energy is 222 (moderate) and the score says "expect good surf conditions." It's not a classic, but it's the best of the later options.

So, bottom line: if you're keen, aim for the morning of August 26th for the best chance at clean, decent waves. The 2nd of September has size but tricky conditions. The rest is a write-off. Stay patient – the longer-range outlook for the 5th of September looks promising, but it's a way off yet.

Rusty.

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