Whangamata Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for our local stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is a real tough stretch for paddle surfing. We're looking at a long, flat spell with barely a ripple. From now through to the end of August, the swell is tiny, mostly under 2 ft, and the energy readings are flat-lining, often in the single or double digits. It's going to be a frustrating wait.

The first real sign of life doesn't show up until Friday, the 28th of August. But hold your horses. We get a pulse of energy, with a combined swell energy of 514 (moderate) on Friday morning, building to a strong 2669 by the afternoon. The swell jumps to 7 ft, then 12 ft, but it's coming from the north-northeast with a short period of 8-9 seconds. The wind is a dirty cross-onshore, making it messy and choppy. This is a no-go for beginners, and even for experts, that 12 ft with onshore wind is a battle. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for a kite session than a surf session. The water temp is about average for the season at 60°F.

Now, here's the one glimmer of hope. Saturday, the 29th of August, is our standout. The swell drops to a much more manageable 5 ft from the northeast, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is still a solid 437 (moderate). The key here is the wind. We get a clean, light cross-offshore breeze from the west-northwest in the morning. This will groom the wave face nicely. For Whangamata Beach, this is the window to aim for. It's a fairly exposed beach, so that NE swell will find its way in. The crowd factor is listed as "sometimes," so you might have a few others with the same idea, but with the long flat spell, it should be fairly quiet. It's a beginner-friendly break, and 5 ft is a great size for that. The morning session is the pick.

After that, the energy drops back off quickly. Sunday the 30th sees smaller, weaker swell and a cross-shore wind, and by Monday the 31st, we're back to onshore winds and poor conditions. There's a small, clean swell on the 1st of September, but it's only 4 ft and the wind is strong and cross-off, making it lumpy.

So, the long and short of it: a brutal flat spell, one very messy, powerful day for experts or kites on the 28th, and then one clean, fun morning for all levels on the 29th. Don't sleep on that Saturday morning.

Rusty

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