Whakatane Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Howdy, Rusty here. Looks like the Bay of Plenty is about to have a proper winter strop on for the next few days, so we’re gonna have to be patient. The first half of this forecast is a write-off, but there’s a little window of decent waves coming through next week that’s worth keeping an eye on.

We’re looking at a solid gap with no real surf to speak of from now through to Sunday, 9th August. The swell is tiny, the wind is messy, and it’s just not worth getting wet. That changes on Monday the 10th, when a proper pulse of energy finally shows up.

Alright, let’s talk about the standout. The pick of the whole forecast is Monday morning, 10th August at Whakatane Heads (Whakatane-Heads). The swell builds to a solid 6ft out of the NNW, with a period of 9 seconds – that’s a clean, workable groundswell. The energy is well and truly up, sitting at 461 (moderate wave energy), and we’ve got light cross-offshore winds from the SW. That’s going to put some proper lines through the beach and reef setup. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so don’t forget the booties. This is a spot that’s fairly consistent, but it’s an advanced wave, and with that size, it’s pulling some punch. The NNE optimum swell direction is pretty close to the mark, so the shape should be there. Crowds can show up here sometimes, but on a Monday morning in winter, you should get a few peaks to yourself. This is the session to aim for.

The next morning, Tuesday 11th August, is a bit of a comedown but still worth a mention. The swell drops to 3ft from the north, with a short period of 7 seconds and energy down to 117 (weak). It’s not a world-beater, but we’ve got light offshore winds from the SSE, so the surface will be clean. Surfable, but average.

Then Wednesday morning, 12th August, brings another solid pulse. The swell jumps back up to 6ft from the north, 8-second period, and energy of 376 (moderate). With light offshore southerlies, it’s going to be clean again. The afternoon session that day is a real gem – 5ft, NNW swell, but the wind goes glassy, dead calm. That’s a rare treat, and the waves will be smooth as silk. Definitely worth a paddle if you can get out of work.

After that, the energy fades. Thursday the 13th has a small 3ft swell with light offshore winds, but it’s ordinary. By Friday the 14th, the swell jumps up to 10ft from the north with a 9-second period and massive energy of 1336 (strong to very strong), but the wind is cross-shore from the east and there’s rain. That’s a heavy, messy beast – one for the experts only, and even then, it’s a tricky one. The cross-onshore winds on the afternoon make it more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.

The rest of the run from the 15th onwards is pretty quiet. The wind picks up again, the swell drops, and we’re back to tiny, poor conditions. Not much to get excited about out there.

So, in short: ride out the flat spell, then get keen for Monday morning 10th August and Wednesday 12th August. Those are your best bets.

Rusty.

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