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Kaikoura and Marlborough (12)
Waipapa Bay

Waipapa Bay Surf Photo: 'Waipapa Bay area after the 7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake' by Rob Davies

Lat Long: 42.22° S 173.86° E

Issued: 5 am 25 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in hr min

Today's Waipapa Bay sea temperature is

12.0° C

Slightly warmer than usual

Waipapa Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

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Guide Reviews Photos (2)

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3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	ENE	NE	NE	SE	SE
	6 s	cross- off	6 s	6 s	8 s

Open ocean wave model on 14 November at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	NNE	NNE	SE	SSE
	6 s	cross- off	6 s	8 s	6 s

Open ocean wave model on 14 November at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	NNE	NNE	SSE	SSW
	7 s	cross- off	7 s	8 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 14 November at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	NNE	NNE	SE	SSW
	7 s	cross- off	7 s	8 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 14 November at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	N	NNE	SE	SSW
	7 s	off	7 s	8 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	N	NNE	SE	SSW
	7 s	off	7 s	8 s	11 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	NNE	NNE	SE	SSW
	8 s	cross- off	8 s	8 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	N	NNE	SSW	SE
	9 s	off	9 s	9 s	8 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	ENE
	8 s	off	5 s	9 s	6 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NNE	N	N	NNE	ENE
	8 s	glass	8 s	8 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	S	N	NNE	ENE
	8 s	on	8 s	8 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	SSW	N	NE	ENE
	8 s	glass	7 s	7 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 15 November at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	ENE	WSW	SSW	NNE	ENE
	9 s	cross	3 s	7 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 16 November at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	ENE	NNW	N	NNE	ENE
	9 s	off	7 s	7 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 16 November at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	ENE	N	N	ENE	NNE
	9 s	off	6 s	9 s	6 s

Open ocean wave model on 16 November at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	ENE	NNW	N	NNE	ENE
	9 s	off	6 s	6 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 16 November at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	ENE	WNW	NW	NNE	ENE
	8 s	cross- off	2 s	6 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 16 November at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waipapa Bay around the time the photo was taken

Image captured 30 minutes before low water (at low spring tide). Tide height was -0.0m (-0.1 ft). Range 1.80m (5.9 ft). Toggle tide graph

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Waipapa Bay area after the 7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake

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Waipapa Bay Surf Photo: 'Waipapa Bay area after the 7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake' by Rob Davies

Just look at the new fault scarp, about 2m high! Uploaded so this site can figure where the tide was at the time of this image. That way we will get some idea of how much uplift there is in the Waipapa and Clarence areas. First impressions for the Kaikoura breaks is that high water is now about where low water was at Kahutara and with that effect increasing as we go north to about Clarence and Kekerengu. Some breaks may have been destroyed but others may have improved and entirely new ones created.

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User: Rob Davies (1346 photos)

Country: New Zealand (2470 photos)

Photo taken at: 11:36 am 15 Nov 2016