Waipaoa River Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

(Gisborne and Mahia, New Zealand)

Forecast
- Hourly Forecast
- 16 Day Forecast
Maps
Live
Weather State
Spot Information

Waipaoa River Surf Guide

Waipaoa River in Gisborne is a quite exposed beach/River break that only works once in a while with no particular seasonal pattern. Works best in offshore winds from the west. Tends to receive distant groundswells and the optimum swell angle is from the south southeast. The beach breaks offer lefts and rights. Good surf at all stages of the tide. Sometimes crowded.

Waipaoa River Spot Info

Type:	Rating:	Reliability:	Todays Sea Temp*:
Sandbar	3	inconsistent	15.9°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Waipaoa River:

The best conditions reported for surf at Waipaoa River occur when a South-southeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the West.

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

What's the best time of year to surf Waipaoa River (for consistent clean waves)?

mayBest Season: winter

The best time of year for surfing Waipaoa River with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter and most often the month of May. Clean surfable waves are typically found 45% of the time in May while 32% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 23% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.

clean

45%

Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.

blown out

32%

Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).

too small

23%

Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Waipaoa River Location Map

Interactive Waipaoa River surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Waipaoa River is Gisborne Airport (GIS) in New Zealand, 7 km (4 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Waipaoa River is Whakatane Airport (WHK), also in New Zealand, 126 km (78 miles) away.

Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)

Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.

Waipaoa River Surf Forecasts:

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

Todays Surf Summary
Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 10:38 Local Time

m, °C	Wednesday 06
ft, °F	9AM	12PM	3PM	6PM
Wave (m)	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE
Period (s)	14	17	16	15
Wind (km/h)
Wind State	cross- off	cross	cross	cross- off

Tides at Waipaoa River

Current tide and informaton

For Mapere Beach, 8 km from Waipaoa River.

Next High Water: 09:28pm | 1.44m

Next Low Water: 03:14pm | 0.27m

NEXT	IS AT (local time)	remaining
high tide
low tide

Waipaoa River Sea Temperature

Cloudy and warm but the water temperature at Waipaoa River will be noticeably colder than the air today. Most surfers will need a spring wetsuit. Feeling warmer out of the water than in the sea today.

Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.

Current Temp*: 15.9°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite