Whakatane Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer here for Whakatane Heads. It’s a tricky start, but there’s some real promise later on.

We’re kicking off on Friday the 14th of August with a bit of life in the water. A solid 6 ft NE swell is starting to roll in, pushing through with a moderate wave energy (305). The wind is light from the SE, which is cross-offshore, so the lines should be pretty clean. This is an advanced break, so you’ll need your wits about you. The water’s sitting at 57°, which is a touch colder than what we’d usually expect for this time of year, so a decent steamer is the go.

Come Saturday the 15th, it cleans right up. Morning has some clouds but a SSE breeze straight offshore at 6 mph, with 4 ft from the ENE and a period of 9 seconds. The wave energy is still decent at 258. The afternoon stays good too – a glassy SSW breeze at 3 mph, same swell size. It’s going to be clean and fun.

Sunday the 16th sees the swell start to drop. The morning is 3 ft from the NE, a bit ordinary but still surfable with a light cross-off wind. The afternoon drops to 3 ft and the wind picks up to 12 mph from the south, which is offshore but gets a bit breezy, making it less inviting.

Then we hit a real flat spell. From Monday the 17th right through until Sunday the 23rd of August, it’s pretty much dead. Tiny, weak waves – most days the energy is under 20, nothing over 2 ft. There’s a few glassy mornings, but nothing to paddle for. That’s a solid week of nothing.

The action returns on Monday the 24th of August. The morning shows 4 ft from the north, a short 5-second period and light cross-off wind – surfable but ordinary. Then the real story is Tuesday the 25th of August. We get a proper 6 ft N swell with a 9-second period, and the wave energy jumps right up (346). The wind is offshore from the SSW at 9 mph, so it’ll be clean as a whistle. This is the standout of the window – a good solid swell with clean offshore conditions. It is an advanced break, and crowds can sometimes be an issue here, so get in early.

Wednesday the 26th is still surfable in the morning with a clean 3 ft from the north, but the wind swings onshore in the afternoon.

Thursday the 27th of August delivers another good morning. Glassy conditions with a light SW breeze and 5 ft from the north. The wave energy is strong (264). It looks like a treat. The afternoon, however, gets bigger at 8 ft, but it’s onshore from the north and will be messy.

Friday the 28th of August has a clean morning again – 5 ft from the north, cross-off wind, and good energy (420). The afternoon is blown out again by a cross-onshore NW breeze.

Finally, Saturday the 29th of August offers the best of the second week. Glassy conditions in the morning with a light westerly breeze, and a solid 6 ft NNW swell. The energy is strong (464). It’s clean and punchy. The afternoon gets wrecked by a cross-onshore breeze, but that morning session looks worth setting the alarm for.

So, overall: the first couple of days are okay, then a long flat lull, but Tuesday the 25th and Saturday the 29th are your two real targets. Get on them early for the cleanest conditions.

Rusty.

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