Tutaekuri River Mouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. I’ve looked over the local guidance for the Tutaekuri River Mouth, and the picture isn't pretty for the next 16 days. The water temp is running a bit colder than normal for late winter, sitting at 53°F, so suit up.

Honestly, there’s a long dry spell on the cards. The wave energy is weak, barely scraping into double digits for most of the run. We’re looking at tiny swell, mostly around 0.7ft to 1.0ft, with a period that’s all over the shop. The direction is coming from the ESE or SE, not the optimum NE for this spot, so that doesn't help.

From the start of Saturday the 22nd, right through to the end of August, it’s one big, flat gap. Scores are in the toilet – just "poor surf conditions" repeated over and over. The wind and waves just aren't cooperating. You’ll get a few glassy or offshore mornings, like the early session on Monday the 24th, but without any size, it’s just a smooth lake. That “moderate cross-shore with a cross-chop” on Saturday the 29th afternoon is the closest we get to any energy, but it’s still only 1.0ft and messy.

The first real glimmer of hope, and I use that term loosely, comes on Sunday the 30th of August with a morning session. We finally see a combined wave energy of 69 (still moderate at best) and the swell bumps up to 2ft from the SE. More importantly, the wind goes offshore from the WNW at 15 km/h (9 mph), giving it a clean face. The period is 11 seconds, which gives it a bit more push than the dribble we’ve been seeing. It’s “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – a 1 out of 10. For a Tutaekuri River Mouth sandbank that is fairly consistent when there’s swell, this is a rare moment to get wet. It won’t be pretty, but you’ll be out of the house.

After that, it’s back to the flatlands. The entire first week of September is a write-off. We get onshore winds, rain, and strong breezes from the south-east, with swell barely moving. The best you can hope for is a glassy 0.7ft on Sunday the 6th. That’s it.

Bottom line: The one and only standout is the morning of Sunday the 30th of August. It’s the only time the swell kicks up to one and a half feet with a clean offshore wind. It’s a river bar, so it’s not for beginners, but for the advanced crew, it’s the only window all forecast. Everything else is a total blank. It’s a quiet period for the area, but given the spot is fairly consistent, this run of poor surf feels more like a waiting game than the new normal. Forecasts change.

Rusty.

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