Whakatane Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab a coffee and settle in, 'cause I’ve had a good look at the charts for Whakatane Heads, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. For the next week or so, it's pretty grim. We’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak waves and mostly poor conditions. The water is sitting at 56°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a good steamer.

The first real glimmer of something worthwhile doesn't show up until Saturday the 8th of August. That morning, we’ll see a small 3ft swell from the NE, with a short period, so the energy is weak (87). The wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but honestly, it’s just ordinary. The afternoon picks up a little, with 4ft from the same direction and a touch more energy (114), but still nothing to write home about.

Now, the standout is shaping up for Sunday the 9th of August. The morning is the pick. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the NNE, with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind is light and offshore from the SSW. That’s going to produce clean, fun waves. The combined energy is moderate (325). This is a good one for an intermediate surfer, as it’s not too big, but has enough push to have some fun. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 6ft, but the wind swings onshore from the NNW, so it’ll be messy.

But the real gem, the one you’ll want to circle on your calendar, is Monday the 10th of August. The morning session is looking absolutely mint. A solid 7ft swell from the NNE, with a 10-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is a gentle offshore from the south, meaning glassy, clean conditions. The combined energy is a massive 971, which is strong wave energy. This is for the experienced crew; 7ft is heading into expert territory, especially at a spot like Whakatane Heads that can get a bit gnarly. That afternoon holds the same size, but with a cross-off wind, still clean but not as perfect as the morning. If you’re an advanced surfer, this is the session to aim for. Just keep in mind, with a longer period swell like that, the sets will have longer gaps, so be patient between waves.

Before that, from now until Friday the 7th, it’s mostly tiny, weak, and not worth a paddle. There are a few days of glassy conditions on the 30th of July morning and the 5th of August afternoon, but with waves only 0.7ft or less, you’ll be floating, not surfing.

So, the long and short of it: slog through the flat spell early on, make the most of Sunday morning, and then get ready for a cracker on Monday morning. The second week of the outlook is looking promising, but as always, keep an eye on the forecasts as we get closer.

Rusty.

Read more