Waimarama Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Well, lookin' at this forecast for Waimarama, I'll be honest with ya – it's a real slow burn. There's a big gap at the start here where you're better off just stayin' home. From Wednesday the 16th right through until Thursday the 17th, the conditions are just ordinary – cross-onshore breezes and weak, short-period slop. Not worth paddlin' out for.

Now, things start to get a little interestin' on Friday the 18th. We've got a proper groundswell showin' up from the ESE with a period of 12 seconds and the combined energy is 307 (moderate). Mornin' has light cross-offshore wind from the S, keepin' the 3ft swell clean. The afternoon turns on even better with a light offshore breeze and the same solid 3ft swell. This is the first real taste of quality.

Saturday the 19th is the absolute standout of this whole run. Both sessions have a clean forecast. The mornin' has a moderate offshore breeze from the SW with a 3ft SE swell (12 seconds) and energy jumpin' to 368 (moderate). But it's the afternoon that'll get your heart pumpin' – a 2ft swell but with a very long 16-second period from the S, and the energy is a punchy 453 (moderate). That's a groundswell that will wrap in with real shape and push. With the crowd factor listed as "sometimes" at Waimarama, you might have a few mates out but it'll be worth it for that clean, glassy afternoon session.

Now, a word on the water – it's a bit colder than normal for this time of year, runnin' about 54°F with a 29°F anomaly. So grab a thicker suit than usual.

Sunday the 20th morning is a write-off thanks to a strong 28 mph cross-offshore wind, but the afternoon gets wild. You'll see a 8ft swell from the S, period a short 9 seconds, and the energy is a massive 1168 (strong). That's a lot of water, but the offshore wind is there. This one's for the experienced crew only – over 8ft is expert territory.

Come Monday the 21st, we've hit the biggest swell of the forecast. A 15ft SSW groundswell with a 12-second period tears in, energy at 7903 (very strong). The mornin' has light cross-shore wind, but the data says the swell is too big for this break. This is a full-on, expert-only day if the banks can handle it, but honestly, for most of us, it's a day to watch from the car park.

Wednesday the 23rd brings back a clean mornin' session with a moderate offshore wind, 4ft S swell (7 second period), and energy at 330 (moderate). A solid, surfable day.

Thursday the 24th morning is another clean option with a light cross-offshore breeze, 5ft S swell (8 seconds), and energy at 322 (moderate). Decent.

The real hidden gem in the second week is Saturday the 27th of September into Monday the 29th. Saturday mornin' at Waimarama is glassy – dead flat wind with a 3ft S swell and a 10-second period, energy at 419 (moderate). That's the kind of mornin' where every wave feels like it's just for you. And then Monday the 28th morning is also glassy, with a 2ft S swell and a very long 16-second period. That's going to produce some beautifully lined-up waves. It's a longer period (over 15 seconds) so it'll break a bit straighter on a beach break, but for the reef section at Waimarama, that's pure gold. Look for it to wrap around the points.

So, to wrap it up: Saturday the 19th afternoon is your absolute best bet – that combination of a very long period groundswell, clean conditions, and a fun size. Saturday the 27th September morning is the second standout for a clean, glassy session. There are a few decent windows in between, but those two are the ones to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

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