Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for our local stretch.

Honestly, it’s a pretty grim start. We’re looking at a solid week and a half of tiny, almost non-existent surf. From right now through to the morning of Monday the 10th, you’ll be lucky to find a wave over 0.7ft. The swell is coming from the ENE with short periods under 16 seconds, and the combined energy is pitiful—barely cracking 40 in the best of it. The water is sitting at 59°, which is pretty average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The wind is mostly light and cross-off or glassy, which would be great if there was any swell to work with. As it stands, you’re better off staying home and waxing your board.

The first real glimmer of hope arrives on the morning of Tuesday the 11th of August. We finally see a pulse of north swell pushing 5ft with a period of 7 seconds. Combined energy jumps to a moderate 223, and the wind is glassy. It’s surfable, but the conditions are described as very ordinary. The swell direction from the north is not ideal for Whangamata Bar, which prefers a northeasterly, so it’ll be a bit messy and won’t hold its shape well. Not a standout, just a sign of life.

Then it gets wild. The stand-out event in this whole forecast is the morning of Friday the 14th of August. Get this: a solid 13ft north swell with a 10-second period, and a combined energy reading of 4297—that’s very strong energy. This is a major groundswell event. However, the steering wheel is all wrong for us. The wind is a fresh cross-onshore out of the NNE at 19 mph, and conditions are described as lumpy. A 13ft swell with onshore wind at a beach/bar break means absolute chaos. This one is for experts only, and honestly, with the wind on it, this setup looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddling. We get a smaller pulse in the afternoon at 7ft, but the wind is still messy.

After that, we see some cleaner windows. The afternoon of Sunday the 16th of August has a 3ft north-easterly swell with a 9-second period and manageable combined energy of 246. The wind swings to a light cross-off from the NNW, which will clean things up. That’s the best bet for a semi-decent, manageable wave if you’re after something that isn’t a washing machine. Just don't expect perfection.

So, the only true standout is that massive, raw energy on the 14th, but it’s a proper beast with ugly wind—definitely not for the faint-hearted or anyone without a serious big-wave rig. For a cleaner, more user-friendly wave, wait for that Sunday afternoon on the 16th.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the charts.
Rusty.

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