Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s take a look at what Wharariki Beach is serving up over the next couple of weeks. This is a raw, exposed stretch of sand, and the 16-day window is a real rollercoaster. The first week is mostly a washout for paddle surfing – the wind’s cranking and the swell’s too big. But there’s one window that’s worth planning around.

The first real opportunity pops up on Tuesday morning, 1st September. That morning, we’ve got a solid 10-foot swell from the west, with a 14-second period – that’s a proper groundswell with a ton of energy (combined energy at 3236). The wind is a cross-off from the southwest at 25 mph, which keeps the surface clean, but the swell is just too big for this break, so it’s strictly for the experts. The water temperature is about average for this time of year.

From there, the rest of the first week and into the second week is a rough run. The wind stays strong, mostly fresh breeze or stronger, and the swell stays big and messy. We’ve got cross-shore and cross-on conditions, even some rain. The combined energy stays high, often in the thousands, but that’s just raw power without the good wind to go with it. This setup is honestly more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during that stretch.

Then we hit a gap, and things get interesting on Saturday afternoon, 12th September. That afternoon, the wind goes dead calm – cross-off – and the swell settles to 8 feet from the west, with a 16-second period. That’s a very long-period groundswell, and the energy is still strong (3661). This is an excellent window for experienced surfers, as the waves will be clean and powerful, but the long period might make things a bit fat and tricky at a beach break – it’ll be better for the more patient, experienced surfer. The break is consistent, so you’ll get waves, but crowds are possible.

The outlook then fades again with a few marginal days, but there’s one more highlight on the morning of Tuesday, 15th September. We’ve got a 5-foot west swell, 18-second period, and a light cross-off wind from the southwest at just 3 mph. The combined energy is 2212, and the conditions are clean. This is another excellent session for experienced surfers, but again, the long period means the beach break might be a bit uneven. This one is more manageable in size, making it a solid option for intermediates who are comfortable with a bit of a challenge.

So, the standout is without a doubt the Saturday afternoon on the 12th of September – that calm wind and solid, long-period swell is the best on offer. The Tuesday morning on the 15th is a close second, but it’s smaller. Everything else in the first week is a battle with the wind and size. Mark your calendar for that second weekend.

Rusty.

Read more