Wainui Bay Chalet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here with the look ahead for our local stretch. The forecast for the next 16 days kicks off with a few small windows, but there's some real promise on the horizon if you're patient.

We start on Monday, August 10th, with a bit of a tease. Wainui Bay Chalet sees a tiny 2ft SSE swell trickling in, but with a 10-second period, the energy is weak (97). The morning has a light offshore NW wind, making it clean, but the waves are pretty ordinary. Honestly, it's a knee-high affair, not much to get excited about.

Tuesday morning, August 11th, is where things get a little more interesting. Swell bumps up to 5ft from the SSW, with a short 8-second period, but the energy is moderate (440). A cross-offshore WSW wind keeps it clean. This is a solid, surfable option for the intermediate crew, but it's not a standout. The afternoon gets messy as the wind swings onshore.

The next few days are a write-off for quality surf. We get small, weak swell and crummy wind through Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. There's a gap of poor conditions until we hit Saturday, August 15th.

Now, Saturday morning, August 15th is our first real standout. The swell stays at 5ft from the ESE, but the energy is building (433). A light cross-offshore NNE wind keeps it clean. This is a fun, punchy morning for the confident surfer. But the real magic is Saturday afternoon. The swell jumps to 8ft from the SE, with a short 8-second period, but the combined energy is massive (1341). The wind goes glassy, dead calm. It's predicted to be too big for the break, but for experienced surfers, this is a window of absolute perfection. The crowd factor is worth noting – it's a spot that can get busy, so get in early.

Sunday, August 16th, the swell hangs around 6ft, but the wind swings cross-shore and onshore, making it messy. Then we hit a massive lull in quality. The swell builds to a huge 12ft from the SSE from Monday, August 17th, through to Thursday, August 20th. The energy numbers are enormous (over 3500), but the wind is atrocious – strong cross-onshore and messy. This is a full-on storm swell, way too big and blown out for comfortable paddle surfing. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that big pulse, the swell drops back to a more manageable 6ft from the SE on Friday morning, August 21st. The energy is strong (1235), and with a light cross-offshore WSW wind, the conditions are clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers, a real treat after the storm.

Saturday morning, August 22nd, is another cracker. A 5ft ESE swell rolls in with a very long 12-second period, carrying strong energy (845). A light cross-offshore WNW wind makes it clean. This is a long-period groundswell, meaning it will handle the point and reef setups better than the beach, with long, clean lines.

The final days fade out. Sunday, August 23rd, has a clean 4ft swell, and Monday, August 24th, sees a glassy morning with a tiny 3ft ESE swell. The energy is moderate (356), but the dead calm wind makes it a last-chance session for the small-wave crew. After that, it's back to tiny, poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Saturday afternoon, August 15th for the glassy, 8ft SE swell, but it's for experts only. The other standout is Friday morning, August 21st for a clean, powerful 6ft SE swell, also for experienced surfers. Saturday morning, August 22nd, is worth a mention for the long-period groundswell.

Stay safe, watch the banks, and I'll see you in the water.

Rusty

Read more