Waipaoa River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab ya coffee, this is Rusty.

We’ve got a bit of a slow burn coming up for the Gisborne region, with the main focus squarely on the Waipaoa River sandbar. This spot is a tricky bugger, rarely breaks and only for the advanced crew, but when it lines up, it can be magic. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, nothing wild.

The first real standout window kicks off this Saturday, 18 July. Saturday morning’s looking clean with a 4ft swell from the ESE, and a light offshore WNW breeze at 3 mph. The combined energy is moderate (956), and while the period is a solid 14 seconds, it’s a groundswell, so at a river mouth it should wrap in nicely. Conditions are glassy and clean – that’s a good start.

Sunday morning, 19 July, ramps up a notch. We’re seeing a 5ft SSE swell with a very long 18-second period and a cross-off WNW breeze at 6 mph. The energy is strong (1734). This is proper groundswell, and for experienced surfers, this is the pick of the whole stretch. The sets will be fat and powerful, but the long period means longer lulls, so paddling out won’t be a nightmare. Crowds are possible here, but the inconsistency keeps most people away.

Monday morning, 20 July, drops back a touch to 4ft from the SSE, but still a solid 15-second period and clean conditions with a light cross-off breeze. It’ll be fun, but not the standout.

Now, if you can wait, Tuesday 21 July is a beauty. Tuesday morning delivers 6ft from the SSE with a 16-second period and glassy conditions – absolute dead calm. The energy is strong (1535). This is the best combination of wave height, clean wind, and long period. Tuesday afternoon is also glassy, with 5ft from the SSE. This is the real highlight of the week.

After Tuesday, the swell drops off sharply. Wednesday morning 22 July is a small 3ft from the SSE, and by Thursday we’re down to 2ft. The energy drops to weak (131). From Thursday 23 July through to Saturday 25 July morning, the surf is small and mostly ordinary.

Then there’s a bit of a sneaky pulse on Saturday 25 July morning. 6ft from the SSW, but with a short 8-second period and a strong offshore WNW wind at 12 mph. The energy is moderate (689). That’s a windswell, so it’ll be a bit crumbly and won’t hold the same shape as the groundswell, but it’s a clean option for the advanced crew.

After that, it’s a slow downhill slide into the second week with small, inconsistent waves. The tail end of the forecast around Sunday 2 August shows a 4ft SSW windswell with a 6-second period and glassy conditions. That’s barely worth a mention, but the glassy wind is a nice touch.

Overall, the best bet is Tuesday 21 July – that 6ft SSE groundswell with glassy conditions is the true standout. Sunday morning is a close second for the pure power. Don’t expect much from the second week; it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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