Waiapu River Surf Break

Waiapu River Surf Guide

Lat Long: 37.77° S 178.48° E

Issued: 11 pm 21 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Waiapu River sea temperature is
15.2° C

Slightly cooler than normal

Waiapu River surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Waiapu River break guidePhoto by: Rob Davies

Waiapu River Surf Guide

Waiapu River in East Cape is an exposed river break that has consistent surf and can work at any time of the year. Works best in offshore winds from the northwest and there is no shelter here from cross shore breezes. Waves can be ok even in light onshore winds Clean groundswells prevail and the optimum swell angle is from the northeast. The river breaks consists of lefts. Even when the surf is up, crowds are unknown. Watch out for dangerous rips.

Waiapu River Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
River4consistent
15.2°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Waiapu River:

The best conditions reported for surf at Waiapu River occur when a Northeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the Northwest.

Explore Waiapu River Location Map

Interactive Waiapu River surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Waiapu River is Gisborne Airport (GIS) in New Zealand, which is 108 km (67 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Waiapu River is Whakatane Airport (WHK), also in New Zealand, 139 km (86 miles) away.

  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Waiapu River Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Monday, 22 June 2026, 03:14 Local Time
Monday 22
3AM6AM9AM12PM
Wave (m)
0.2
SSE
0.2
SSE
0.2
SSE
0.7
S
Period (s) 13 12 12 5
Wind (km/h)
5
15
20
20
Wind State cross cross-
on		 cross cross-
on

What does Waiapu River look like?

Latest photos from Waiapu River. Upload your own or view all photos on the gallery page.

Credit: Rob DaviesCredit: Rob Davies

    Tides at Waiapu River

    Current tide and informaton
    For Waiapu River, 0 km from Waiapu River.
    Next High Water: 12:12pm | 1.52m
    Tidal range Clock
    Next Low Water: 06:03am | 0.12m
    IS AT (local time)

    Waiapu River Sea Temperature

    The water temperature (15.2 °C) at Waiapu River is quite cool. If the sun does come out as forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a good sealed spring wetsuit. Some surfers would prefer to wear gloves and boots too. Effective windchill factor of (12.0 °C) will make the air and water feel about the same temperature.

    Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit, neoprene gloves and boots.
    Current Temp*: 15.2°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite
    water-temp
    New Zealand Sea TemperatureView Sea Temp Map

    Swell History at Waiapu River

    Surf stats for Waiapu River, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

    Waiapu River Location Map
    Average Swell
    View Swell Statistics

    Wind History at Waiapu River

    Wind stats for Waiapu River, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.

    Waiapu River Location Map
    Average Wind
    View Wind Statistics

    Other Nearby Breaks Closest To:

    Discover surf breaks near Waiapu River. Click below to view there surf guides.

    Wave Buoys Nearest To Waiapu River:

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