Whatipu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Whatipu (New Zealand).

First things first, the water temp is sitting at 57°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises when you get in.

The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. We’ve got a massive amount of swell on the way, but the wind is going to be the main villain for a long stretch. The first real chance to paddle out starts to shape up around Saturday the 12th of September, but before that, it’s mostly a write-off.

From Monday the 31st of August right through to Friday the 11th of September, the wind is howling from the WSW or SW, mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the wave heights are pushing 8 ft to 16 ft. That’s a lot of water moving around – the combined swell energy is often in the thousands (like 5989 or 8732), which is a strong to very strong energy – but it’s all blown out and messy. The swell period is long, coming in around 13 to 15 seconds, which is proper groundswell, but the wind is just mashing it up. For a beach break like Whatipu, that long period stuff can make it break too straight anyway, so it’s not really doing anyone any favours here. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The tide and wind do clean up a little from Thursday the 10th into Friday the 11th, with light breezes, but the conditions are still marginal.

Then we get to the standout. Saturday the 12th of September is the one to circle. The morning brings a gentle 9 mph offshore breeze from the ENE, which is a major positive. That’s going to clean things right up. The swell is a solid 7 ft from the SW, with a period of 16 seconds – that’s very long period groundswell, which at a beach break can be a bit wonky, but with clean offshore wind, it’ll be well-shaped and lined up. The combined energy is still strong (2298), so there’s plenty of push. The afternoon holds up with a cross-offshore breeze and similar conditions. It’s rated as excellent for experienced surfers, so this is the pick of the fortnight. The crowds at Whatipu can show up sometimes, so expect a few other heads out.

Sunday the 13th of September morning is also decent, with a light 6 mph cross-offshore breeze and a 7 ft swell from the WSW at 15 seconds. The energy is still simmering (2043), and it’s clean. The afternoon turns choppy, so mornings are the go.

The very end of the run, on Monday the 14th of September, sees the swell drop to 5 ft, but the morning is clean with a cross-offshore breeze, and the afternoon has a glassy 3 mph offshore wind from the ENE, with a 5 ft swell. The energy is down to 731, which is weak, but for a longboard or a funboard, that’s a lovely, clean end to the window.

So, the big takeaway: Saturday the 12th of September is the absolute standout. Clean, offshore wind, solid groundswell, and plenty of energy. Get on it.

Rusty.

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