Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s look at what we’ve got on the horizon. The next couple of weeks here at the Whangamata Bar are shaping up to be a bit of a mixed bag, with some clean windows but plenty of ordinary conditions to sit through. The setup is a beach-and-bar break, a little inconsistent, so you’ve gotta be patient.

We kick things off on Monday the 6th of July with a bit of energy in the water – a 6ft swell from the NNE, period around 8 seconds. The wind is a cross-offshore from the NNW, which keeps things clean. The combined swell energy is moderate at 508. But the report flags it as marginal due to tide, so don’t expect perfection. Water temperature is sitting at 60°, pretty much normal for this time of year, so not a shock to the system.

Tuesday the 7th is a write-off. Onshore winds and light rain make a mess of things, with poor surf conditions both morning and afternoon, despite a jump in swell height later in the day.

Wednesday the 8th is where it gets interesting. The morning brings a 5ft NE swell with a cross-offshore SSW breeze at 6 mph. It’s clean, and the combined energy is moderate at 468. This is the standout window of the first week. The wind is light and offshore, so the waves should hold shape nicely on the bar.

Thursday the 9th is small and ordinary with 3ft waves, and Friday the 10th gets blown out by strong southerly winds, so not worth the paddle.

From Saturday the 11th through to Tuesday the 14th, the surf drops right off. Swell heights hover between 1ft and 2ft, with combined energy mostly below 100. There’s a glassy moment on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, but simply not enough wave to ride. That’s a solid stretch of flatness.

A pulse of energy returns on Wednesday the 15th of July. Swell from the N around 4ft, period 7 seconds, and we get proper offshore winds from the WSW – moderate to gentle. Clean conditions, and combined energy climbs back to 161. Ordinary but surfable, and a good option if you’re keen for a session.

Things get messy again from Thursday the 16th through to the end of the period. Mostly cross-onshore winds and poor surf conditions dominate. There’s a bit of a spike on Sunday the 19th of July with a 7ft NE swell and combined energy hitting a strong 932, but the cross-onshore wind ruins it – that’s more a kite-surfing setup than anything for a paddle board. It drops back to 5ft on Monday the 20th, but again, the wind is not your friend.

For the best bet across the whole 16 days, I’d point you to Wednesday morning, July the 8th. That 5ft NE swell with clean cross-offshore wind and moderate energy gives the Whangamata Bar its best chance to produce a few good ones. It’s not a screaming session, but it’s the cleanest we get. For a second look, Wednesday the 15th with proper offshore wind is worth a paddle if you’re itching.

Stay patient, mate. The good ones will come.

Rusty

Read more