Tuhawaiki Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Tuhawaiki Point. This is a classic southern New Zealand setup – a point break that’s exposed and loves a solid SE groundswell. It’s an advanced spot, inconsistent, so don’t get too excited unless the stars align. The water temp is sitting around 50°F right now, which is about 2°F warmer than usual for this time of year – a bit of a treat for the toes.

The first real chance to get wet arrives on Saturday morning, August 1st. We’ve got a solid 5ft swell from the SE, with a nice 12-second period. The wind is a gentle offshore from the W, so the faces will be clean. The combined energy is pumping with a reading of 707 (moderate wave energy) – this is the standout of the whole run. That Saturday afternoon looks even better: the wind goes glassy, completely calm from the N, and the swell holds at 5ft from the SE with an 11-second period. Clean, lined-up waves for the crew that know the wave. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Sunday morning, August 2nd, is still decent – 3ft from the SE at 13 seconds, with a light cross-offshore wind from the NW. The energy drops to 271, but it’s still clean. By Sunday afternoon things get a bit average with cross-shore wind and smaller swell.

Monday morning, August 3rd, is a write-off – small, weak, and ordinary. But hold on for Tuesday, August 4th. The morning is glassy, with a 4ft swell from the SE and a very long period of 16 seconds. The energy is strong at 708 – that’s a proper groundswell. This point will handle the long period beautifully, with long, walling waves. The afternoon stays glassy at 4ft, 14 seconds. This is your second standout.

After that, the swell drops off fast. Wednesday and Thursday have some small, clean waves, but nothing to write home about. By Friday August 7th, we get a tiny glassy 2ft pulse with a 16-second period – very clean but tiny. The energy is still there at 248, but it’s a low-tide special for the patient.

From Saturday August 8th through to the end of the run on August 15th, it’s a long stretch of tiny, weak, or onshore junk. The swell dips below 3ft, periods drop, and the wind turns messy. There’s a couple of mornings with light offshore flow, like the 14th and 15th, but the swell is barely 2ft to 2ft and the energy is weak (104 and 78). It’s a blank run for the second week – pretty normal for this part of the world when the swell window shuts.

So, mate, your best bet is the Saturday morning and Tuesday morning of the first week. Mark it on the calendar. After that, it’s time to check the kite gear or polish the board.

Stay safe, Rusty.

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