Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ at Wharariki Beach.

This setup is a bit of a wild one. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but the first week is a real mixed bag of wind and messy conditions. The real standout, and I mean a proper standout, is the Saturday morning session on the 25th of July. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. After that, the swell gets huge and the wind gets nasty, but we’ve got a couple of late-in-the-game options if you’re an experienced surfer.

Water temp is sitting at 58°F which is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

The first real chance to wet a line is Wednesday afternoon, the 22nd of July. It’s tiny and weak, with a combined energy of only 115 – that’s weak stuff. Swell is 1ft from the WSW with a 12-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off. It’s surfable, but it’s ordinary. More of a cruise than a mission.

Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are a write-off. The wind is up, the swell is messy, and it's just not worth the paddle. Friday morning sees a 8ft, 7-second wind swell from the NW with a strong cross-off wind. That’s a mess.

Now, Saturday the 25th of July. Lock it in. Morning session is the best on offer in the whole outlook. We’ve got a 10ft swell from the W with a very long 16-second period – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is a huge 4386, so there’s plenty of power. But here’s the thing: the wind is a strong cross-off, and the report says it’s too big for this break. That means it’s only for the experts. If you’re not comfortable in heavy, powerful surf, stay on the beach. The swell direction is W, which is bang on the optimum from the guidance. This is a big, clean, powerful day for the brave.

After that, the bottom drops out. Saturday afternoon, the 25th, we get a gale with 43 mph winds and a 13ft swell. That’s dangerous. Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are still blown out or marginal. The wind just doesn’t let up.

The next real window pops up on Wednesday the 29th of July. Morning session is looking excellent for experienced surfers. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the W with a 15-second period, combined energy of 1847, and a light offshore wind from the SSW. That’s clean, big, and powerful. Another one for the experts.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July see the swell absolutely pumping – 13ft to 18ft. The wind is light and offshore or cross-off, which is a dream, but again, the size is a limit. The guidance says it’s too big for this break. The combined energy hits 10453 on Friday morning, which is very strong. Only the most experienced chargers should even look at this.

Saturday the 1st of August is still big, but the wind picks up on the afternoon. Then Sunday the 2nd of August morning is a bit more manageable at 7ft from the W, 13-second period, with a moderate cross-off. It’s a marginal call, but it’s cleaner.

The final call comes on Tuesday the 4th of August. The afternoon session is looking excellent for experienced surfers. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the W, 14-second period, combined energy of 1973, and a light offshore wind from the ESE. That’s a clean, powerful, late-afternoon session to finish the run.

So, to sum it up: the best of the best is Saturday the 25th of July morning, but it’s for experts only. The Wednesday the 29th of July morning is a close second for the same crew. The rest of the time is either too big, too windy, or too small. If you’re a beginner, keep an eye on the Wednesday afternoon the 22nd for a tiny, gentle paddle, but that’s it.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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