Waimarama Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for Waimarama.

We’re kicking off with a bit of a flat spell. The first few days are a write-off – Sunday the 9th and most of Monday are looking pretty ordinary, so don’t even bother paddling out. The water temp is sitting at 53°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good spring suit.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday morning, 11 August. Swell from the SSW at 6ft with an 8-second period, and the wind is swinging offshore from the SW at 9 mph. It won’t be super clean, but it’s rideable. The combined wave energy is moderate at (598), so there’s some push behind it.

Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th are messy again – onshore winds and weak, short-period junk. Not worth your time.

Friday morning, 14 August, is a glassy moment. The wind drops right out – glassy conditions – with a small 5ft swell from the east at a short 7 seconds. It’ll be small and a bit weak, but if you want a quiet session, the morning will be clean. The afternoon gets blown out again.

Saturday the 15th has some size – 8ft from the east, 9-10 seconds – but the morning is cross-on, and the afternoon is cross-off with some light rain. It’s average, not a standout.

Now, here’s the big one. Sunday the 16th through to Tuesday the 18th sees a solid S/SSW groundswell pulse. Sunday morning is 12ft at 11 seconds from the south, with a strong offshore wind from the SSW at 25 mph. The wave energy is huge (2837). But – and this is a big but – it’s too big for this break. This is a beach and reef setup, and those sorts of sizes are only for experts. The wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this spot. Same deal for Monday and Tuesday – 12ft to 13ft, clean offshore wind, but it’s proper heavy. If you’re a very experienced surfer, you might find a wave, but it’s borderline.

The standout window really opens from Tuesday afternoon, 18 August, through to Friday, 21 August. The swell drops to a more manageable size, and the wind stays offshore or cross-off. The absolute best bet is Wednesday morning, 19 August, at Waimarama. You’ve got a 10ft swell from the south with a very long period of 15 seconds – proper groundswell. The wind is light from the west at 3 mph, glassy cross-off conditions, and the wave energy is massive (3439). It’s going to be clean, powerful, and lined up. This is the one to circle. It’s only for experienced surfers, but it’s a gem. The very long period means it’ll be better for the reef and point sections than the beach.

Another standout is Friday morning, 21 August. Swell from the south at 8ft, 12-second period, with a gentle offshore from the SW at 9 mph. Wave energy is strong (2651). This is excellent for experienced surfers too – clean, consistent, and powerful.

After that, we fade out. Saturday the 22nd gets messy with rain and cross-on winds, and Sunday the 23rd morning has a small, glassy 5ft swell from the SSE, but it’s weak. Monday the 24th has a 5ft SE groundswell, but the wind is cross-on and onshore, so it’s average.

So, if you’re experienced, the pick of the fortnight is Wednesday 19 August morning – big, clean, and powerful. Friday 21 morning is also a cracker. The rest is either too small, too windy, or too big for any fun.

Rusty.

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