Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what we've got on the horizon for the next couple of weeks at Wharariki Beach. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so pay attention.

We're starting off on Wednesday the 9th, but don't get too excited. The surf is small and marginal with a weak 2.6ft swell from the west with a period of 11 seconds. The combined swell energy is only 263, which is weak. The wind is a clean cross-off from the ESE, so the water could look alright, but there's not enough push to get excited about. The water temp is 57.0°, which is about average for the time of year.

Thursday the 10th doesn't offer much for a paddle. The morning is blown out by strong WNW winds, and while the afternoon looks cleaner, the swell is still small. It’s not your day.

Now, let's talk about the real action. The standouts in this forecast are the morning sessions on Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th. On Friday morning, we’ve got a solid 8.2ft west swell with a very long 18-second period. The combined energy is a massive 7684 (moderate to strong), and the wind is a clean cross-off from the W. That is a big, powerful, clean groundswell. However, this is a big swell – at 8.2ft, it's getting into expert territory. The long period means it might bowl a bit too straight at this beach, but if the sandbars are right, it'll be incredible. Saturday morning follows up with an even bigger 9.8ft west swell, 16-second period, and clean cross-off wind. The energy is 4466. Again, this is seriously big and only for experienced surfers. These two mornings are the best on offer by a mile.

After that, the wind picks up strongly. Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th see the swell dropping, but the wind is howling from the WSW at 35 to 50 km/h, making for mostly poor, choppy conditions despite the "clean" label in the data. The surf quality takes a dive.

There's then a bit of a lull from around the 15th through to the 19th of September. The surf is either too small, too windy, or has short period (some down to 6 seconds) and messy conditions. Kite surfers might find the strong cross-shore winds on the 15th more interesting than paddle surfers. The combined energy drops right off.

The forecast gets interesting again on Sunday the 20th of September. Another massive pulse of swell hits: 9.8ft and 11.5ft from the NW and WNW, with a very long 17-second period. The energy on Sunday afternoon is a huge 6721. The wind is offshore, but the data warns us it's too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and probably a back-off spot for most.

Finally, we get a little treat for the experienced crew. On Monday the 21st of September, the morning brings a clean 7.2ft west swell with a 14-second period. The combined energy is 2087 (moderate to strong), and the wind is a light cross-off from the SE. The data says it’s "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". That sounds like a solid, clean day for those with the skill to handle it. Then on Tuesday the 22nd, the afternoon session also gets the "excellent" tag with clean cross-off wind and a 7.9ft west swell, though the period drops to 10 seconds. These two sessions are worth marking on your calendar.

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