Waipapa Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

(Kaikoura and Marlborough, New Zealand)

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

Waipapa Bay Surf Guide

Waipapa Bay in Kaikoura is an exposed beach break that is usually a safe bet. Autumn and winter are the best times of year for waves. Offshore winds are from the north. Waves just as likely from local windswells as from distant groundswells and the ideal swell direction is from the southeast. The beach breaks offer lefts and rights. Best around mid tide when the tide is rising. Rarely crowded here. Be wary of rips - they make surfing here dangerous.

Waipapa Bay Spot Info

Type:	Rating:	Reliability:	Todays Sea Temp*:
Beach	3	very consistent	13.8°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Waipapa Bay:

The best conditions reported for surf at Waipapa Bay occur when a Southeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the North.

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

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

augustBest Season: autumn

The best time of year for surfing Waipapa Bay with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Autumn and most often the month of August. Clean surfable waves are typically found 41% of the time in August while 37% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 22% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.

clean

41%

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

blown out

37%

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

too small

22%

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

Explore Waipapa Bay Location Map

Interactive Waipapa Bay 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 Waipapa Bay is Woodbourne Airport (BHE) in New Zealand, 78 km (48 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Waipapa Bay is Nelson Airport (NSN), also in New Zealand, 116 km (72 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.

Waipapa Bay Surf Forecasts:

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

Todays Surf Summary
Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 18:32 Local Time

m, °C	Wednesday 06			Thu
ft, °F	3PM	6PM	9PM	0AM
Wave (m)	S	S	S	SSW
Period (s)	14	14	14	14
Wind (km/h)
Wind State	glass	off	cross- off	cross- off

What does Waipapa Bay look like?

Latest photos from Waipapa Bay. Upload your own or view all photos on the gallery page.

Credit: Rob Davies Credit: Josh Masters

Tides at Waipapa Bay

Current tide and informaton

For Blue Duck Stream, 10 km from Waipapa Bay.

Next High Water: 08:28pm | 1.45m

Next Low Water: 02:51am | 0.32m

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

Waipapa Bay Sea Temperature

The water temperature (13.8 °C) at Waipapa Bay is quite cool. If the sun shines as we have forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a good spring wetsuit. Effective windchill factor of (18.0 °C) will make the air and water feel about the same temperature.

Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.

Current Temp*: 13.8°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite