Waimarama Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get the lowdown on what’s cookin’ at Waimarama. It’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, but there’s a couple of windows that’ll get the blood pumpin’.

First thing’s first, the water’s sittin’ at 54°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – a solid 2° off the average. So you’ll want that extra rubber.

We start off with a bit of a slow grind. Sunday the 30th through Monday the 31st has some tiny, weak swell – we’re talkin’ 1ft to 2ft from the S on a 10-second period, with a cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is weak, between 59 and 110, so it’s really just a paddle-around session. Nothing to write home about.

Come Tuesday the 1st of September, things start to wake up. The morning has a 8ft S swell (13 seconds) and a bit of rain, but the wind is a cross-off. The combined energy jumps to 1670 (moderate). It’s a bit messy though, and the tide’s a question mark. Then Tuesday arvo really fires up – a solid 12ft SSW swell with a 12-second period, and the energy is pumpin’ at 4738 (strong). The wind is a gentle cross-off. But here’s the kicker: that size is too big for this break. It’s a beast of a swell, so only the most experienced locals should be lookin’ at it, and even then, it’s right on the edge.

Now, Wednesday the 2nd of September is your standout moment. The morning has a 7ft S swell (13 seconds) with a light NW breeze, and the energy is a solid 1666. But the arvo? That’s the one. Glassy conditions, 7ft of S swell on a 17-second period – that’s a proper groundswell with some serious grunt – and the combined energy is 2547. That’s strong, clean, and for experienced surfers only. If you’ve got the chops, get on it. The swell direction is from the S, which is a bit off the optimum E for this spot, but when it’s glassy and that size, you don’t complain.

We get a bit of a lull Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th, with dropping swell and some choppy cross-onshore wind. Not worth your time.

The second week is a bit more of a gamble. There’s a promising window on Wednesday the 9th of September – glassy again, with a 3ft S swell (10 seconds) and moderate energy (276). Worth a look for a clean, fun session.

Then Thursday the 10th of September, we get another massive pulse: 12ft S swell in the morning with a 9-second period, and a moderate offshore wind. The combined energy is 2112. But again, it’s too big for this break. The arvo has a 25 mph cross-off, so it’s a kite-surfing setup more than a paddle session.

The real long-range standout is Saturday the 12th of September. That’s a big, strong swell – 15ft in the morning, 13ft in the arvo, both from the S on an 11-second period, with strong offshore winds (28 mph). The energy is astronomical at 4610 and 3673. But it’s way too big for Waimarama, and the wind is howlin’. It’s a promise of power, but it’s only for the brave or the kites.

Sunday the 13th of September eases a bit – 12ft in the morning, still big, but the arvo drops to 10ft with a 10-second period and a light breeze. That’s cleaner, but still big.

Monday the 14th of September looks like a nice end to the run: 5ft S swell (9 seconds) with a light offshore, and a moderate 992 energy. That’s a solid, clean close-out to the forecast.

So, to sum it up: the best bet for the experienced crew is Wednesday the 2nd of September arvo – that glassy, long-period groundswell is a real treat. For a more manageable session, Wednesday the 9th of September morning is your glassy, clean, fun-sized wave. The rest of the time, it’s either too small, too windy, or too big for the break.

Rusty.

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