Tutaekuri River Mouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The river mouth is the only game in town for this outlook, and she’s a fickle one. For the first few days, the surf is small and mediocre, but there’s some real quality to be found later if you’re patient.

We start off with a bit of a tease on Thursday, July 30th. The morning session brings a clean 3ft wave from the east with a 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate (279), and with a light northwesterly breeze, it’s cross-off and clean. A decent little window to get a few, but it’s an advanced break, so keep your wits about you. That afternoon, it drops to 3ft and the energy dips, so it becomes marginal.

Friday July 31st and Saturday August 1st are a real write-off. The swell is tiny, the energy is weak, and the conditions are poor. You’d be better off waxing your board at home. Sunday August 2nd sees a bit of a pulse, with a 3ft SE swell picking up, energy back to moderate (240), and a clean morning. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Monday and Tuesday are pretty ordinary – small, weak, and just not worth the drive. Wednesday August 5th morning is flat, zero energy.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday August 6th, the morning goes glassy. A light WNW breeze, clean as a whistle, with a 3ft SE swell (11s) and energy at 214. That’s a proper session for the patient soul. Friday August 7th morning is similar, glassy again, but the swell bumps up to 5ft. The period is short though, only 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit crumbly and fat. Still, for an advanced break, it’s a fun little push.

Now, the real standout is the second week, but it comes with a serious warning. On Sunday August 9th, the swell starts to get angry. By Monday August 10th, we’re looking at a massive 12ft swell from the ESE with a 13-second period. The combined energy is astronomical (over 4000). This is NOT for the faint of heart. The conditions are clean, but the sheer size makes this strictly for experts only. The river mouth will be a washing machine. If you’re not a pro, don’t even think about it. This setup is more interesting for the kite crew than paddle surfers.

The good news is the swell eases into a sweet spot. Wednesday August 12th afternoon, we get a 7ft ESE swell (13s) with a clean offshore wind from the west. The energy is still strong (1445), but the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the pick of the window. Thursday August 13th morning is also a cracker: 6ft, 13-second period, clean, and light winds. The energy is still pumping (1058), and it’s a proper groundswell. This is when the river mouth will be offering up some proper shaped waves, though the long period means it’ll be a bit more walled up at a beach/river break. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a bust with a couple of glassy mornings. The second week has a massive, dangerous swell that tapers into a couple of excellent days for the experienced. If you’re keen, aim for the 12th and 13th of August. Just be ready for a crowd, as this spot can get busy when it’s good.

Rusty.

Read more