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Whale Watch Reef Surf Forecast
/ Kaikoura and Marlborough (12 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Wednesday 29 Apr 2026 NZSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Whale Watch Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Whale Watch Reef sea temperature is
13.3° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)How big are the waves at Whale Watch Reef today?
The current surf forecast for Whale Watch Reef at 2PM is: 0.5m 6s primary swell from a Northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00am April 29). An open ocean swell of 0.3m 7s is not directed at the surf break, a second open ocean swell of 0.3m 7s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be onshore.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (29 Apr) | 1.5ft (0.5m) | 5s |
| Afternoon (29 Apr) | 1.5ft (0.5m) | 6s |
| Evening (29 Apr) | 1.5ft (0.5m) | 5s |
Table - waves today at Whale Watch Reef. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Thu afternoon). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 1 | Sat 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 AM | 12 PM | 3 PM | 6 PM | 9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | 9 AM | 12 PM | 3 PM | 6 PM | 9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | 9 AM | 12 PM | 3 PM | 6 PM | 9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | N 7 | NNE 7 | S 7 | NE 6 | N 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | NNE 3 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | |
13 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 37 | 23 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 2:52PM1.87m | 3:15AM1.87m | 3:42PM1.90m | 4:04AM1.86m | 4:31PM1.92m | 4:52AM1.85m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 8:39AM0.53m | 9:12PM0.56m | 9:28AM0.55m | 10:03PM0.59m | 10:16AM0.58m | 10:51PM0.61m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:15 |
 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | 5:28 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 15 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
13 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 14 | S 13 | NNE 5 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 14 | S 14 |
 kJ | 41 | 27 | 11 | 37 | 92 | 2 | 133 | 125 | 239 | 1581 | 1832 | 1504 | 1317 | 990 | 725 | 573 | 425 | 313 | 235 | 227 | 174 | 125 | 400 | 429 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 5 | NE 5 | SSE 7 | SSW 7 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | NE 15 | E 15 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 15 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | NE 5 | NE 5 |
| kJ | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 73 | 109 | 101 | 149 | 145 | 23 | 23 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 20 | S 15 | SSW 14 | SSE 7 | S 7 | N 7 | NNE 7 | — | NE 6 | N 16 | — | — | SE 10 | SE 9 | — | — | — | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 30 | 17 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 4 | — | 1 | 5 | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 6 | NNE 5 | W 3 | SSW 13 | S 6 | S 7 | S 8 | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | — |
| kJ | — | — | 15 | 19 | 2 | 547 | 225 | 274 | 505 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 18 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 37 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 148 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 178 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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