Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the stretch around Whangamata Bar.

The next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag with a long, slow start. We’ve got a waiting game on our hands. The first real chance for anything decent doesn’t show up until Saturday the 15th.

So, from now until Friday the 14th, it’s pretty grim. The swell is small and short-period, with a bit of a cross-shore chop on the wind. The water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing wild. Honestly, the first few days aren’t even worth paddling out for.

Saturday the 15th is where it starts to get interesting. The morning is looking clean with a light cross-offshore breeze from the SSW. We’re looking at a 5 ft swell from the east with a period of 8 seconds. The combined swell energy is moderate (305). It’s not a monster, but with the wind cleaning it up, those banks at Whangamata Bar should be offering up some fun, workable waves. The afternoon stays clean with SW winds, even if the swell drops a fraction. This is a solid option for the weekend.

Sunday the 16th morning still has some clean surf with a 4 ft swell from the east and a light cross-off breeze, but it’s a bit ordinary. The wind picks up hard out of the south in the afternoon, chopping it up. That’s the end of the first run.

Then we hit a flat spell. From Monday the 17th right through to Wednesday the 27th of August, the swell is tiny. Most days have less than 2 ft of swell. It’s clean, sure, but there’s just no energy. The combined energy figures are in the single digits or low tens. It’s a proper drought.

The standout, and I mean the real standout, is Thursday the 27th of August. This is over a week away, so lock it in with a bit of caution. The morning shows a solid 10 ft swell from the NNE, but the wind is cross-offshore. The real magic is the Thursday afternoon. We get a 12 ft swell from the NE with a 9-second period and a clean offshore wind from the WNW. The combined wave energy is a massive 2065. That’s serious power. This is a big, powerful groundswell that will be freight-training down the Bar. Because of the long period and size, it’s going to be a heavy, expert-only affair. The paddle out might be easier with the gaps between sets, but this is not for beginners. It’s a big, clean, powerful day for the experienced crew.

Friday the 28th of August still has a leftover 5 ft swell from the NE with a clean offshore wind, offering a decent follow-up session, but with a lot less energy (491).

In short, the next week is a write-off. Don’t bother. Saturday the 15th is your immediate, small but clean option. For the real heavy-hitter, pencil in the 27th of August. That’s the one that’s got me excited.

- Rusty

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