Foam

Right now is the call. A 9-second groundswell wrapped in from the NNW is holding the reef peaks in shape across the reserve, and light northerly wind coming cross-shore is keeping faces clean through dawn patrol. Thigh to stomach waves probably suit the expert reefs like Coxos and Cave as well as the more forgiving beach peaks, and with water at 19°C and air just above it, conditions are textbook for this window. Tide is barely moving and that steadies the banks.

By mid-afternoon the northerly swings towards the NNW and picks up to around 19 kph, staying cross-shore but building chop on top of the swell. The ride holds its size, waist to stomach, but loses the polish you have now, so the morning is your best bet today.

Tomorrow peaks at the same 5 rating with knee to stomach surf, smallest in the afternoon and fullest before breakfast, though the margin between dawn and midday is tighter than it sounds. The swell drops fractionally and the wind pattern shifts, so treat tomorrow as a morning mission to be sure of the cleaner shape. Forecasts this far out shift with the weather patterns feeding them, so a dawn check before you commit will pay.