Waipaoa River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me break down what’s going on here with Waipaoa River.

We’ve got a tale of two halves again, but in feet and inches this time. It starts off with a few small, clean gems mid-week, goes quiet for a few days, then a big, solid swell arrives at the start of September.

First up, Wednesday morning, August 26th. Clear skies, a light cross-offshore breeze out of the NW, and a clean 2ft south-southeast groundswell with a very long 18-second period. The energy is moderate at 393. That long period is going to give you some drawn-out, well-formed lines. The water is running at 54°, which is a couple degrees colder than normal for this time of year, so bring the booties. This is an advanced sandbar that doesn’t break very often, so if you score it, you’re lucky. Crowds are possible.

Thursday morning the 27th steps it up. Still only 3ft of SSE swell with that same golden 18-second period, but here’s the kicker—the wind is totally glassy. Dead still. That’s as clean as it gets. The energy is up to a solid 553. It’s inconsistent and only for the crew who can handle a tricky sandbar, but Thursday morning is a beauty.

Then it all drops off. Friday the 28th through Sunday the 30th sees the swell fade down to just 1ft by Sunday, with energy dropping to 39. There’s a solid gap of a couple days where you’re better off staying home.

Now, get ready. Monday, August 31st, a big south-southwest swell rolls in. We’re looking at 8ft of solid swell in the morning. That’s a serious wave, only for the gnarliest local crew. The energy is very strong at 1381, and the period is 9 seconds from the south-southwest, which lines up well with this spot. Winds are cross-offshore and clean. It’s going to be big, powerful, and clean. Expect a few heads out there.

The best session of the whole run is Tuesday morning, September 1st. Another 8ft of SSE swell, but this time the wind is glassy. Dead calm. The combined energy is a massive 1688. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The period is a bit shorter at 13 seconds, so the sets will be packing a punch, but with those perfect conditions, it’s going to be a dream for any advanced surfer willing to charge.

The rest of the first week is a slow drop-off. Wednesday the 2nd still has solid 6ft waves with strong energy and clean winds, but by Thursday the 3rd it’s down to 3ft with light offshore winds. Still fun, but nothing like the big days.

After that, it’s pretty much a flop. Friday the 4th has a brief spike to 4ft, but the energy fades quick. From Saturday the 5th all the way through to Wednesday the 10th, it’s mostly tiny, weak, or flat. There’s a near week-long lull there, which is a real downer. The last couple of days show a tiny 3ft wave, but with a 6-second period, it’s not going to have any power or shape.

No question about it, the standout for the whole 16-day run is Tuesday morning, September 1st. The Monday before is a very close second.

Rusty.

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