Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty coming to you live from the beach. Let’s get into it for the next couple of weeks. We’ve only got one spot on the radar, and it's a wild ride.

The big picture for the 16-day window is that we’re looking at a classic spring-time battle between proper groundswell and gnarly wind. There are some huge, powerful swells on the way, but the local weather is going to be stubborn, making it tough to get clean waves. Expect a long stretch of messy, blown-out conditions before things potentially calm down for a weekend that’s got a couple of windows for the brave.

Wharariki Beach is our one break, and it’s an exposed, consistent spot that pulls in a massive amount of energy. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about average for the time of year right now.

Let’s start with the grim stuff. Right off the bat, from the morning of Wednesday the 2nd right through to Sunday the 6th, it’s basically a write-off. We’re talking a solid week straight of strong to near-gale-force winds from the west and northwest, ripping across the break. The swell energy is huge, with values like 3208 and even 6267, but with those winds, the surface is going to be a mess of cross-chop and lumps. It’s just not worth paddling out for a traditional surfer; honestly, with that kind of wind and swell size (up to 12 ft), this setup is looking way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 7th morning gives us a little tease. The wind drops to a light 3 mph cross-shore, and we’ve got a solid 8 ft swell with an 11-second period. The combined energy is still strong at 2354, but the forecast is calling it marginal. The tide might be playing games, and it’s still a bit chunky for the average Joe. That’s the best of a bad bunch for the first week, but I wouldn’t get too excited.

The real promise, the stuff that gets the heart pumping, is looking at the second week. But remember, Rusty’s law: long-range calls are promising but less certain. Mark your calendars for Thursday the 11th. The Friday morning is looking *very* interesting. We've got a massive, clean 13 ft W swell with a 19-second period. That’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is insane at 10142, and the wind is a perfect 12 mph cross-off from the ESE. This is proper big-wave territory. Only for experts, mind you. Anything over 8 ft is for the crew with the big guns. That long period will make for beautifully shaped, heavy lines at a point or reef, but at a beach break it might close out. For the brave, that morning is the standout.

Then, Saturday the 12th morning is another window. The swell drops to a more manageable 8 ft from the west, still with a solid 16-second period. The wind swings to a light SW cross-off at just 6 mph. The energy is still very strong at 5190. This is called "exceptional" and it’s the absolute best on offer for experienced surfers. It’s big, it’s clean, and it’s powerful. This is the one to circle.

After that, the energy starts to fade into the following week, with smaller swells and winds picking back up. For a spot this consistent, this is a tough run, but that Thursday to Saturday window in the second week is where the magic could happen.

Stay frothing.

- Rusty

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