Waiwakaiho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. The long-range charts are starting to show some real promise for Waiwakaiho after a patchy start. The southwest swell window is the key here, and we’ve got a few windows of quality that’ll make the waiting worth it.

The first week is a bit of a mixed bag, with a lot of onshore wind and sloppy conditions. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a bit of a bonus.

Sunday the 12th kicks off with a clean 5ft swell from the WSW, but it’s a bit underwhelming and the tide might not be playing the game. Things get messy from Monday the 13th through to Tuesday the 14th with rain showers and moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds. The swell sticks around, but it’s choppy and lumpy – not worth a paddle.

The real standout is shaping up for Wednesday the 15th. A solid 8ft to 10ft groundswell from the WSW rolls in, with a very long period of 16 seconds. The combined energy is massive (3807 to 4316), so it’s got some serious grunt. This is expert territory only – too big for beginners. The wind is light on the Wednesday morning, but it’s a cross-onshore, so it won’t be perfect. Still, the size and power will push through.

Thursday the 16th holds onto that size, with 8ft to 8ft, but the wind swings more onshore, so it’s a bit bumpy. It’s still a big swell, but the quality drops.

After that, the swell backs off a bit, but the conditions clean up nicely. The best bet for a quality session is Saturday the 19th. You’ve got a 6ft to 6ft WSW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind goes glassy or clean offshore on Sunday the 19th. The combined energy is still solid (1493 to 1697), and the wave comment says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is the pick of the week – clean, powerful, and with proper shape. The crowds can pop up sometimes, so keep an eye out.

The following week starts with clean conditions on Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st, with smaller 5ft to 3ft swells but glassy or offshore winds. It’s clean but not as punchy. The swell drops off to 2ft to 3ft by Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, with fresh southerly winds making it messy.

The next real spike comes on Saturday the 25th of July. A 7ft WSW swell with a short period of 8 seconds is forecast, but the wind is glassy in the morning. The combined energy is moderate (736), and the wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” It’s a bit of a short-period lump, so it won’t be as clean as a groundswell, but the glassy conditions will make it fun for experienced surfers.

The last few days of the window see a return to small, clean conditions with 2ft to 3ft swells and very long periods of 18 to 19 seconds. It’s a slow, sleepy swell, but the glassy winds will make it perfect for a longboard if you’re patient.

In short, the best on offer is Sunday the 19th of July, with the 6ft groundswell and glassy conditions. The big Wednesday the 15th is a monster, but the wind isn’t ideal. The 25th of July is a solid backup if you can handle the short period.

Rusty.

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