Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but I’m not gonna lie – it’s a bit of a slow burner. The surf is small and inconsistent for most of the run, but there are a couple of windows where things could get interesting. The best bet by a long shot is the week three window, but we’ll get to that.

We start on Tuesday, the 8th of September. The swell is small, around 3ft from the NNE, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (107). It’s not big, but the wind is a light cross-off from the SSW, and the water temp is about average for the time of year. It’s clean, but frankly, it’s pretty ordinary. The afternoon goes glassy, but the swell drops to 2ft and the energy falls off (60). It’s a knee-high dribble, really.

From Wednesday the 9th through to the 22nd of September, it’s a real struggle. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, and the energy is weak (ranging from 13 to 89). The wind is often cross or onshore, and even when it goes offshore, the waves are just too small to get excited about. There are a few days, like Thursday the 10th afternoon, with a 1ft swell from the NE and a 14-second period, giving it a long-period groundswell feel, but the energy is still weak (72) and the size is just not there. The 16th of September sees a pulse of 3ft from the NNW with a short 6-second period, but the wind is howling offshore at 25 mph, making it hard to paddle into and quite messy. The energy is moderate (117) but the quality is poor.

Then we hit the standout window. On Tuesday the 22nd of September, the swell starts to build properly. The morning sees 5ft from the NNE, with a 7-second period and the combined energy is strong (386). The wind is onshore from the east, which is a shame, but the size is there. The afternoon is similar, 5ft, energy 225.

But the real highlight is Wednesday the 23rd of September. This is the one to circle. The swell is 6ft from the NNE, with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is very strong (562). The wind is light onshore from the east, which is a bit of a bummer, but it’s still a solid, powerful swell. For intermediate surfers, this is a bit of a handful – over 5ft means it’s not for beginners. For the experienced crew, this is the best on offer. The water is still about average for the time of year. The break is Whangamata Bar, a beach/bar setup that can handle a bit of size. It’s inconsistent, so don’t expect non-stop waves, but when the sets come through, they’ll have some punch. Expect crowds to be possible.

So, the long and short of it: the first two weeks are mostly a write-off unless you’re happy with ankle-snappers. The big energy on the 23rd is the one to wait for. It’s still a week and a half away, so keep an eye on the forecasts, but it’s the most promising day in the whole run.

Rusty.

Read more