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Waihau Bay

Waihau Bay Surf Photo: 'Dribbly shorey' by Rob Davies

Lat Long: 37.62° S 177.94° E

Issued: 5 pm 19 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in hr min

Today's Waihau Bay sea temperature is

16.6° C

Slightly warmer than usual

Waihau Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

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Guide Reviews Photos (1)

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3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E	ENE	SE	NNW
	11 s	cross	11 s	10 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 30 January at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E	ENE	SE	NNW
	11 s	cross	11 s	10 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 30 January at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		ENE	SE
	11 s	cross		11 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 30 January at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		ENE	SE
	11 s	cross		11 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 30 January at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		ENE	SE
	11 s	cross		11 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		ENE	SE
	11 s	cross		11 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		NE	SE
	11 s	cross		11 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	SE
	11 s	cross		11 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	SE
	10 s	cross- on		10 s	9 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NNW
	10 s	cross- on		10 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NE
	10 s	cross		10 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NNW
	10 s	cross		10 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 31 January at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	E		NE	NNW
	12 s	cross		12 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NNW
	11 s	cross		11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	N
	11 s	cross- on		11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	NNW
	11 s	cross- on		11 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	NE	ENE		NE	N
	11 s	cross- on		10 s	12 s

Open ocean wave model on 1 February at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Waihau Bay around the time the photo was taken

Image captured 2 hours and 19 minutes after high water (falling spring tide). Tide height was 1.3m (4.1 ft). Range 2.13m (7.0 ft). Toggle tide graph

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Waihau Bay Surf Photo: 'Dribbly shorey' by Rob Davies

Not a great surf beach but the huge bay has headlands with reefs that pick up much more swell. These are generally very prone to wind-chop but if surf is waist-high and clean at the beach, it may be worth exploring.

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User: Rob Davies (1346 photos)

Country: New Zealand (2470 photos)

Photo taken at: 12:42 pm 31 Jan 2013