Waimea Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Waimea Rivermouth for the next couple of weeks. The story here is pretty simple: a long, slow start with tiny, clean waves, and then a solid east swell moving in later that’s the real prize. No big surprises, just a steady build.

Kicking off Saturday the 25th of July, we’ve got 0.9m swell out of the SSW, but the wind is a light cross-off from the ENE at about 12 mph. The wave energy is moderate, around 646, so there’s a bit of push despite the height. Water temp is a warm 80°F – right on average for this time of year. The waves are clean, but they’re small, so this is a beginner session or a longboarder’s delight. Crowds are sometimes around, so you might have some company.

Sunday and Monday (26th–27th) keep that same small 0.7–0.9m SSW swell. Monday morning is a glassy stunner – no wind at all, just mirror-flat water. That’s a huge plus for conditions, but the waves are still tiny. The energy drops from 469 down to 227 by Monday afternoon. Clean, but not worth a special trip.

Tuesday the 28th is the low point: 0.6m from the S with the weakest energy of the run (147). Glassy again, but it’s just ordinary.

Wednesday the 29th bumps back to 0.7m, still clean, with a calm, glassy afternoon. Energy at 237 – still small.

Thursday the 30th gets a bit sloppy. The swell picks up to 0.8m, but the wind swings cross-on from the SE, and it gets choppy. That’s a poor session.

Now for the change. Friday the 31st of July, the swell switches to the east and jumps to 1.7m, but the period is short – only 7 seconds, so it’s windswell, not groundswell. Wind is still cross-off, so it stays clean. The energy is strong at 571. It’s a bit big for beginners now (over 1.5m), but not crazy.

Saturday the 1st of August hits the peak: 2.2m out of the east with a short 8-second period. The energy is strong at 741. That’s expert territory – over 2.5m would be too big, but this is right on the edge. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the short period makes it a bit lumpy. Only experienced surfers should be out there.

Sunday the 2nd of August backs off to 1.8m E swell, still with light cross-off winds (9 mph) and clean conditions. Energy is moderate at 453. A solid, fun day.

Then we hit a quiet stretch from Monday the 3rd through Wednesday the 5th, with tiny 0.4–0.9m SSW swell and very low energy (under 170). A few days of nothing special.

Thursday the 6th of August starts a new east swell run at 1.3m, building to 1.5m by afternoon. The period is short (6–7 seconds), and energy builds to 276. Glassy morning, clean afternoon. Decent.

Friday the 7th holds 1.7m, and here comes the standout: Saturday the 8th of August. Saturday afternoon delivers 1.9m from the east with an 8-second period, and the wind is a gentle cross-off from the ENE at 9 mph. The energy is strong at 567, and the waves are clean. This is the best session of the whole run – the biggest consistent swell, with the best wind setup. Crowds are sometimes around, so don’t be shocked if there’s a few out.

Sunday the 9th of August closes it out with 1.8m east swell, still clean, but the energy drops to 497. Still fun, but Saturday is the clear winner.

So, if you’re a beginner, the first few days (25th–29th) are perfect – tiny, clean, and friendly. For everyone else, mark Saturday the 8th of August on your calendar. That’s the one to chase.

Rusty out.

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