Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, listen up. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for the Whangamata Bar, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’ve got a long, dry spell on the cards, so if you’re itching for a wave, you’re going to need some patience.

The water’s sitting at about 58°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no dramas there with your wetsuit.

The next week and a half is looking bleak. We kick off this Saturday the 8th with practically nothing – just a tiny 0.3ft swell and poor conditions. It’s a frustrating start. Through Sunday and Monday, we see a little pulse of energy, maybe 4ft, but it’s short-period and pretty junky. The winds are all over the place, mostly onshore or cross, making it messy. The Bar is inconsistent at the best of times, and this run is really testing that.

We get a small window on Monday morning with light offshore winds and a clean 4ft, but it’s still nothing to write home about. The energy is weak (174), and the swell is just too disorganised to make the most of it. Tuesday morning is glassy with a tiny 2ft, which would be fun if it had any power, but it just doesn't. The swell energy is weak (62). This whole period is a write-off.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday the 14th in the afternoon. The wind swings around to a light cross-offshore, and we finally see the swell energy jump up to a moderate 278. The swell jumps to 4ft from the NNE with a period of 7 seconds. It’s not perfect, but it’s the first time the conditions actually line up to make the Bar look half-decent. That’s your best bet for a surf in the first week, but keep your expectations in check.

After that, the plug gets pulled again. The following week drops right back off into that poor surf territory. There’s a bit of a bump on Wednesday the 12th, but the wind is howling onshore and it’s raining – not worth it. The rest of the week is just tiny, weak leftovers. The long-range stuff towards the 22nd and 23rd is looking small and coming from a dodgy direction with onshore winds, so don’t hold your breath.

So, to be honest, unless you’re desperate, this is a week to get the gear fixed or go for a paddle. The only session that shows any promise is Friday afternoon. It’s gonna be a long haul until we get a proper pulse of swell. The Bar can be a funny place, but this run is just plain empty.

I’ll be keeping an eye on it. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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