The Long Range Surf Report
For the weekend of 28th-30th March 2003.
Hi
Good afternoon, it's a wild and wooly afternoon this arvo in the north, with rain going sideways just like it does in
Wellington. Big weekend for the Super 12 lads, with the Blues doing battle with the Brumbies. The local derby of the
year is on tomorrow with the Highlanders having a crack at the Crusaders. Not to be missed out are the Hurricanes vs the
Chiefs.
Good to see the Kiwis take out the Trans Tasman Surfing Challenge last week at Piha. Some nice clean 3 - 4ft waves were
had on the day, and the result shows just how strong the local scene is. Now we have the Rip Curl Grom Search at New
Brighton Beach in Christchurch this weekend. Should be good! Plus the Blaketown Bodyboard Comp is on. Good luck gang.
Weather Situation
There is a nasty front wedged on to New Zealand's West Coast with a low tucked into it. This front has delivered and
continues to deliver buckets of rain in the north of the North Island. The Low that has been sitting to the southeast of
the South Island is still lingering around and funnily enough we are still seeing swell on the southern and east facing
coasts south of Gisborne. We have a little Low way to the North of us. It is looking like wet weather for the North
island .The wind should swing tonight or tomorrow from the Northeast as the front moves through to the northwest for
most of the country.
Regional Report
North Island
Northland; Auckland; Coromandel; Waikato; B.O.P:
West Coast: Incredible isn't it...even in this wind (a strong gusty northeast offshore) we have 1-2 feet of southwest
swell on the exposed West Coast beaches. Now the forecast is for north winds tomorrow and northwest by Sunday, which is
a bugger for this coast, but good for the other. With the Low sitting just south of New Plymouth I wouldn't be surprise
to see the swell pick up when the wind swings out of the easterly quarter. HT 1945 Camera link
East Coast: Things have changed pretty quickly with the strong onshore northeast winds this arvo. We have a combination
wind come ground swell from the northeast of 3-5 to six feet. Just depending where you are. Now it's as lumpy and choppy
as anything. The inner city breaks of Auckland's North Shore will have a grovel for the desperados. Just remember don't
drink the water. Now tomorrow the wind is supposed to swing to the north and then the northwest. This means waves gang
oh yes. So be on it in the morning and not tonight. Places like Forestry, Daniels and good old Omaha will be worth
checking. HT 1610
Gisborne; Wairarapa:
The south swell is still hanging in there and this arvo we have 1-2 feet but the wind is a hassle in the Wairarapa with
it being northeast on the East Coast and southeast at Ning Nong. Talking of Ning Nong, the south swell is still there of
course with 2 foot and even the odd bigger one. Gisborne will have fresh to strong northeast winds tonight with
northerly tomorrow and northwest with any luck late Saturday or early Sunday. Rising northeast swell on this coast as
well. HT 1450 Camera Link
Taranaki:
Small and clean this arvo...just a bit too small. It's about a foot in Town. Down the coast it is 1-2 feet with a
northeast wind this arvo. Northeast tending northerly for the weekend. HT 1830 Camera link
Wellington:
West Coast; Flat again gang and it is looking like being like this all weekend. We have 6-knot northwest wind this
afternoon and we don't think it will get much stronger. It is looking like Groundhog Day will continue into the weekend.
South Coast; Check the Cam and you will see lines of swell from the south with a light southeast onshore. Even though it
is onshore it doesn't look that bad. Now the forecast is good for the weekend. So here goes strong southeast tonight
easing and northerly tomorrow. Like that? Easing south swell, but hey it has hung in for ages so we can't see why it
would suddenly disappear. HT 1355. Camera link
South Island
West Coast:
Northeast winds this arvo and tomorrow with the same resilient southwest swell of 1-2 feet that has been here all week
with even the occasional 3-footer. The forecast is for northeast winds with northwest possible by Sunday. HT 1945 Camera
link
Kaikoura; Canterbury:
A northeaster this arvo and tomorrow with northwest forecast for Sunday. We have lumpy 1-1.5 feet. There is a small
1-1.5 foot of cleaner south swell surf on the other side of the peninsular. Northeast wind swells and northeast winds
for the weekend. We are expecting an increase in swell from the northeast over the next 24 hours or so. Kaikoura
Northeast winds and the south swell is still with us just though I might add. One to two feet this arvo of northeast
swell as well that should get bigger. The wind is from the northeast as well. No wind in the morning tomorrow but
northeast again in the afternoon. This pattern should be repeated on Sunday just with more swell. HT 1530.
Dunedin; Southland:
Small south swell of 1-1.5 feet this arvo and a northeast wind . The forecast is for northeast to continue tomorrow. So
we will see a lift in swell from the north on the north facing beaches by late Saturday. The small south swell will
continue to slowly die away. HT 1335. Camera link.
Enjoy your weekend and see you tomorrow.
Don't forget to "surf before you surf"
Cheers, The Team http://www.surf.co.nz