Tutaekuri River Mouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here.

Honestly, I’ve gotta level with you right off the bat: the next sixteen days are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle at Tutaekuri River Mouth (Hawke's Bay). There’s just nothing on the cards that’s worth getting excited about. The wave energy is weak across the board, and we’re staring down a long stretch of flat, dribbly conditions. The water’s a touch colder than usual for this time of year, coming in at 53°F, which is about 3°F under the average—so you’ll want the thick rubber if you do decide to get in.

We’re looking at a solid blank run here. The first recommendation doesn’t come until Saturday the 29th, and even then, it's underwhelming. The swell bumps up to a meagre 1ft, with a short period of 7 seconds, so it’s going to be soft and lack any punch. The energy reading is only at 37, which is weak, and while the morning looks clean with a light cross-off breeze, there’s just not enough water moving to make it a serious option. The swell direction is from the ENE, which is a bit off the mark.

Before that, from Sunday the 23rd through Friday the 28th, it’s a flat spell. Wave heights hover around 0.3ft to 0.7ft with long periods for the tiny swell (13 seconds), but that’s not translating to any power. The combined energy values are in the teens and low twenties, which is basically nothing. There are a few glassy moments, like Tuesday afternoon the 25th, but with only 0.7ft of swell, it’s a lake, not a surf. Not worth the drive.

The weekend of the 30th and 31st keeps the same vibe—small, weak, and uninspiring. We get a slight bump to 1ft with an 11 to 12-second period, and the winds are offshore at times, which will make the surface glassy. But the energy is still low (25), and the swell is coming from the SE, which isn't the optimum NE direction for this spot. You might catch a knee-high dribbler, but it’s really for the desperate.

The first week of September is more of the same. The 1st and 2nd are tiny, with 0.3ft waves, and while the winds are offshore and clean, there’s just no swell to work with. The energy numbers are down in single digits. We’re still waiting.

The best of a bad bunch looks to be the morning of Wednesday the 3rd or the morning of Saturday the 5th, where we see a touch more size—wait, sorry, the 3rd is 0.3ft, but the 5th has 0.3ft as well. It’s all minimal. However, the morning of Thursday the 4th has a slightly more promising 1ft with a short, weak 6-second period, and light cross-off winds. But again, the energy is only 10. It’s a flat, clean ocean with a ripple, not a wave.

This is a classic blank run. Tutaekuri River Mouth is generally fairly consistent, but this stretch is a dud. The forecast can change, and it won’t be this poor forever, but honestly, you might be better off finding another hobby for a couple of weeks. There’s also the possibility that with this kind of weak, short-period swell and occasional stronger cross-off winds later in the period, it might be more interesting for the kite surfers than the paddle surfers. Keep the board in the car, but don’t expect much.

Rusty.

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