Tutaekuri River Mouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight about this one – the next 16 days at Tutaekuri River Mouth are looking pretty grim for a proper surf. We’ve got a long stretch nearly two weeks long where there’s barely a ripple worth getting wet for. The pattern is mostly tiny swell and dodgy wind, so you’ll be sitting this one out unless you’re desperate for a paddle.

The first real standout, and really the only one worth mentioning, is the Friday morning on the 18th of September. That morning we’ve got a clean 3ft swell coming from the ESE with a period of 13 seconds – that’s a groundswell, so it’ll have some push. Winds are glassy, which is rare for this spot, and the combined energy reading is 232 (moderate energy), so it’ll actually have some grunt. Swell direction is ticking the box for the optimum NE angle. The water temperature is sitting at 54°F, which is 3°F colder than average – a bit nippier than usual for this time of year. The afternoon takes a hit as light rain and a cross-onshore breeze mess up the surface, but the morning window is your best bet.

Everything before that is flat or junk. Saturday the 12th has a 4ft swell, but it’s short-period windswell at only 6 seconds and a cross-on breeze – choppy and ugly. Sunday the 13th through to Thursday the 17th is all tiny, weak surf with combined energy readings under 50 – we’re talking knee-high dribble at best, even with a few glassy pockets on Tuesday morning (1ft, 10-second period, combined energy 41). Just not worth the wetsuit.

After the 18th, it drops off again. Saturday the 19th has a small 2ft groundswell from the ESE in the morning with glassy conditions, but it’s weak (combined energy 93) and the window is narrow. From the 20th right through to the 27th, we’re looking at mostly flat or tiny surf – under 2ft for days on end, with occasional clean-looking conditions but no power. The 24th of September has a bit of a pulse – 2ft swell from the SE with a very long 17-second period and combined energy of 150 (moderate) – but that long period on a river bar/beach break will likely close out straight and the cross-off wind won’t help. It’s a kite-surfing setup more than anything else. The very end of the run, Sunday the 27th, has a 2ft SE groundswell (11-second period) with clean offshore wind in the morning, but again, it’s small (combined energy 83) and not a standout.

Honestly, the only moment that gets the heart beating is that Friday morning on the 18th. Otherwise, this is a long, flat lull. The area doesn’t stay this poor forever, so keep an eye on the charts, but for now, don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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