Whangamata Estuary Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, checking in with the local scoop for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got one spot on the radar, and it’s a bit of a slow burner, so let’s get into it.

The big picture is that we’re looking at a long stretch of very small, weak surf to start. For the first few days, from Wednesday the 22nd through to Friday the 24th, the swell is tiny—barely a ripple, with combined wave energy barely cracking double digits (7 to 35). You’d be fighting for a knee-high slosh, and it’s just not worth the effort. We’re looking at a gap of about three days with nothing to recommend.

Things start to show a pulse on Saturday the 25th. The morning at Whangamata Estuary sees a jump to 3ft of east swell, but it’s the period that’s got my attention—11 seconds, a proper groundswell. The wind is offshore from the WSW, cleaning things right up. The combined energy kicks up to a solid 286, which is a decent push. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and it’s the first real window in the period. The crowd factor is a “sometimes” here, so you might have a few mates out, but nothing crazy. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The next morning, Sunday the 26th, is glassy with a light SSE breeze, but the swell has dropped a touch to 2ft and the energy is down to 87. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Not a standout.

Now, if you’re looking for the true highlight of this forecast, point your eyes to Saturday the 1st of August. The morning brings a punchy 6ft ESE swell, with a short period of 7 seconds. The wind is light offshore from the west, keeping it clean. The combined energy is a strong 306, so there’s some grunt in the water. The short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly on the banks, but that offshore wind and clean face will still offer some fun walls. That’s the best we’ve got—a solid, clean, slightly punchy day for the experienced crew.

After that, the week of the 4th of August looks promising. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are clean and glassy with 3ft to 4ft of east swell and a nice 12-second period. The combined energy is strong (383 and 288), and the winds are light, near calm, or glassy. The longer period will give you some nice, lined-up runners, but it might be a bit straight at a beach/bar setup like this. Still, for consistency and quality, that stretch is a close second to the 1st of August.

So, the standout day is Saturday the 1st of August for the biggest, cleanest swell. The mid-week of the 4th and 5th is worth a paddle for the quality and consistency. The rest is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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