Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Wharariki Beach and honestly, it’s a pretty rough run we’ve got ahead. The next two weeks are mostly a write-off for paddle surfing, so let’s get straight into it.

The ocean’s been flipping a switch on us, but it’s not a good one. The water’s sitting at 57°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no drama there. The problem is, for the first week, we’ve got a whole lot of wind and not much of a window. Thursday morning (27th August) kicks off with rain, a 19 mph cross-shore, and a messy 4 ft swell from the WNW – energy’s only moderate at 512 and the wave comment says it all: poor surf. Thursday afternoon looks a little cleaner with a cross-off breeze, but it’s still marginal. Friday through to the following Monday (31st August) is a write-off – the swell pumps up to 12 ft and bigger, but the wind is howling (near gale from the N, then W), making it a complete mess. The energy values are huge (over 4500, even 4758 on Monday afternoon), but with that wind, it’s just a washing machine. Not for surfing.

We get a bit of a breather on Tuesday morning (1st September) – the swell drops to 8 ft from the W, with a 14-second period, and the wind is a cross-off 19 mph. The energy is still strong at 2725, but the wave comment says marginal. It’s clean, but the size is getting up there – over 8 ft, so this is expert territory only, and the wind, while cross-off, is still a fresh breeze. Wednesday and Thursday (2nd and 3rd September) are messy again with strong cross-shore winds, though Thursday afternoon (3rd September) cleans up with a 8 ft WNW swell (16s period, energy 3458) and a cross-off breeze. It’s still a strong breeze though, so it’s a bit of a handful.

Then we hit a glimmer. Saturday 5th September morning and afternoon – the charts show a 10 ft swell from the W, 15-second period, and a fresh 22 mph cross-shore wind. The wave comment says wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. The energy is massive (4253 and 3830), and the score is an 11 out of 10, which is a standout. This is the best on offer, but it’s a big one – 10 ft is only for experts. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not glassy, but it’s clean and the long period (15s) means it’s a powerful groundswell. For a beach break like Wharariki, that long period can make it break a bit straight, but if you’re an expert, it could be a ripper. Just be aware – Saturday 5th September is the one to circle.

After that, Sunday 6th September to the end of the run (11th September) is a mixed bag of messy cross-onshore winds, gale-force gusts, and massive swell – Monday 8th September has a 12 ft swell with light cross-shore winds, but it’s too big for this break, and the energy is huge (3669). By Friday 11th September, we’re looking at a gale-force 40 mph wind and a 15 ft swell with energy over 10,000 – that’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The standout is Saturday 5th September – a powerful, clean, but very big swell for experts only. Be patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts for that one.

Rusty

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