Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim stretch for the most part, but there is a little glimmer of hope right at the back end if you’re patient.

We’re looking at Whangamata Bar, and honestly, for the first week and a half, it’s a real struggle. The swell is tiny, with wave heights mostly hanging around 0.7 ft to 1 ft. The combined swell energy is weak, barely cracking three figures most days – you’re looking at values like 39, 72, and 86, which is just gutless. The water temp is about 59°, which is normal for the time of year, so you can’t blame the cold for the lack of action.

Thursday the 10th kicks off with a tiny 1 ft NE swell at 7 seconds, but the wind is light offshore from the WNW, so the surface is clean. It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary. Friday the 11th is much the same story – tiny 1 ft NE swell, but a bit more period at 13 seconds, which gives it a little more shape. The wind is offshore again, so it’s clean, but the lack of size means it’s just not worth paddling out for.

Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th stay small at 1.0 ft to 1 ft, with moderate offshore winds. The combined energy drops right off into the 30s and 50s. It’s a dead zone. Monday the 14th through to Thursday the 17th are even worse, with swell dropping to 0.7 ft and energy down in the teens. Friday the 18th is the pits – 0.3 ft and 6 energy. That’s a long, dry, flat spell.

Now, come Saturday the 19th, things start to wake up. The morning sees a 4 ft N swell at 7 seconds, with moderate offshore winds from the WNW. The combined energy jumps to 164 – moderate. It’s still not perfect, but it’s a lot better than what we’ve had. The afternoon gets a bit more exciting: a 7 ft NNW swell at 8 seconds, with cross-offshore wind. The energy rockets to 906 – that’s strong. This is getting chunky, and for a beach/bar break, that size is pushing into intermediate territory. The short period (8 seconds) means it’ll be a bit crumbly, but there’s definitely some power in the water. Again, the wind is clean, so it’s an option.

Sunday the 20th is a write-off – the wind swings onshore from the SE, chopping things up, and the swell drops back to 2 ft. Not worth it.

Then we hit the real standout. Friday the 25th of September. The morning shows a 8 ft N swell at 8 seconds, with a light offshore breeze from the W. The combined energy is 779 – strong. This is for experts only, as it’s over 8 ft, but the conditions are expected to be very good. The wind is light and clean, which is a massive bonus. The afternoon sees it drop to a 6 ft NNE swell at 9 seconds, with light cross-offshore wind and energy at 456 – still strong. For a beach/bar setup, this is the best of the whole forecast. The swell direction is from the N and NNE, which is close to the optimum NE direction for this spot, so it’ll be lining up nicely.

So, the call is simple: the first week is a total write-off. The best wave is on Friday the 25th of September, with that 8 ft N swell and clean conditions. It’s a long way off, so keep an eye on it, but it’s the only real standout in the whole 16 days. The rest is just a waiting game.

Rusty.

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