Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Well, I’ve had a proper look at what’s coming for Whangamata Bar over the next couple of weeks, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim stretch. We’ve got a long, flat spell to kick things off, and it takes a while before there’s anything worth paddling out for.

The water temp’s sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. But for the first week and a half, the swell’s tiny and the energy’s weak. Friday morning the 11th starts with a tiny 1ft NE groundswell (13-second period), with a light cross-off breeze from the SSW at 6 mph. The combined energy is a measly 83 – flat as a tack. It’s clean, but you’d be fighting for a dribble. That afternoon stays small at 1ft, with a gentle offshore from the WSW at 9 mph, and energy at 95. Still surfable in the loosest sense, but nothing to write home about.

From Saturday the 12th right through to the morning of Sunday the 20th, it’s a wasteland. Day after day of 1ft, 0.7ft, even 0.3ft slop with combined energy dropping as low as 5. The wind’s often clean or offshore, but there’s just no swell to work with. It’s a solid gap of over a week where you’re better off leaving the board in the car. One odd little pulse shows up on Saturday afternoon the 19th with a 3ft NNW short-period windswell (6 seconds) and a fresh offshore breeze at 19 mph, but energy’s only 54 and the score is rubbish – not worth the drive.

Finally, on Sunday the 20th, we get a bit of a pulse. Sunday morning brings 5ft N swell with a short 8-second period and moderate offshore wind from the WSW at 12 mph. The combined energy jumps to 359, which is solid moderate energy. That’s the standout of the whole forecast. It’s a bit fat and crumbly for a bar break with that period, but if you’re an intermediate or above, that morning window is your best shot. The afternoon drops off to 3ft, so it’s a short-lived window.

Monday the 21st dribbles on with 3ft SE windswell (5 seconds) and an offshore breeze, but energy’s only 69 – nothing special. Then we get another little flare-up on Thursday the 24th: 4ft to 4ft ENE groundswell (10 seconds) with a moderate cross-off breeze from the NNW at 9–12 mph. Combined energy sits around 304 to 307, so there’s some push there. It’s still a marginal call – clean but not perfect – and could be a decent option if you’re keen for a mid-range day. The rest of the week trails off into tiny 2ft and weak surf again.

So, bottom line: if you’re desperate, Sunday the 20th morning is the real standout. Thursday the 24th is a backup. The rest is a long, flat slog. Look, it’s inconsistent as a rule here, so this kind of blank run isn’t unusual, but it doesn’t mean it’s permanent – forecasts can change. For now though, keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

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