Coral Coast and Frigates · Today

Frigates Passage

Updated Wed, Sep 23, 11:30 AM GMT+12

When to go

Around 6:00 PM

Strong wind — difficult conditions · Low confidence

7.5–7.5 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Strong wind: 17.5 kt · cross-shore

Cautions

Strong wind or gusts up to 23.7 kt can make the session difficult; being first in the list does not make conditions good.

Forecast details

This is the best time in the forecast, though wind may make it choppy.

Other wind windows

Plan around the wind

The best available upcoming daylight wind sample to compare with the wave evidence. This compares wind only; wave size, tide suitability, and hazards can change your choice.

2:00 PM–4:00 PM · Pacific/Fiji
Strong wind · up to 18.0 kt · reported gusts up to 23.7 kt
Caution: This is the best available wind comparison, not a favorable-wind label. Strong wind remains in the selected evidence.
Offshore waves: 7.7–8.0 ft across the period. Surf height unavailable. Tide data unavailable.
Wind source time: Sep 23, 11:30 AM GMT+12. This is not the model run issue time.

How these periods are chosen

The planner prefers three consecutive hourly samples covering two daylight hours, but retains shorter one- or two-sample evidence when that is all the forecast provides. Light wind means at most 6 kt. Moderate offshore means at most 12 kt from land toward the sea when shore orientation is verified. Strong wind or known gusts of 20 kt or more remain visible as cautions instead of making the entire comparison disappear. These are comparison labels, not locally tested surf-quality or safety ratings. Missing gusts remain unknown. Terrain shelter, currents, closures, and your ability are not assessed.

Forecast confidence

Returned marine grid point is 3.4 km from the mapped spot. Provider grid resolution is not established for this response.
Reference model hour: 0 hours from now; historical residuals do not measure forecast lead-time error.
No accepted local model for these inputs: missing history, unsupported direction/period/height, or failed historical validation.
Tide unavailable: assessment incomplete, especially at shallow reef breaks.
A mapped coordinate does not establish nearshore grid resolution or terrain/shelter accuracy.

Wind ESE 19.4 kt

Tide Unavailable

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellSSW 7.0 ft @ 12sValid 2026-09-23 12:00 · Pacific/FijiMarine grid -18.4583, 177.9584 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea8.3 ft @ 11.4sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-23 12:00 · Pacific/Fiji

Model windESE 19.4 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-23 12:00 · Pacific/Fiji10.0 kt offshore component

TideUnavailableunavailableNo verified local tide station connected; no tide height estimated

Surf height unavailable. Coastal and offshore waves are not breaking-wave heights.

Surf and wind

Recommended window: No recommended window

Breaking surf is not reliably resolved. Hourly offshore swell and wind inputs are listed below.

Hourly forecast

Hourly surf forecast for Frigates Passage
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	ESE 20.3 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.0 ft @ 13s
1 AM	ESE 20.6 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.1 ft @ 13s
2 AM	ESE 20.3 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.2 ft @ 13s
3 AM	ESE 20.4 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.3 ft @ 13s
4 AM	ESE 21.4 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.3 ft @ 12s
5 AM	ESE 19.9 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.3 ft @ 12s
6 AM	ESE 18.8 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.4 ft @ 12s
7 AM	ESE 18.6 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.4 ft @ 12s
8 AM	ESE 17.8 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.3 ft @ 12s
9 AM	ESE 18.2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.3 ft @ 12s
10 AM	ESE 18.2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.2 ft @ 12s
11 AM	ESE 18.5 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.2 ft @ 12s
Noon	ESE 19.4 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.0 ft @ 12s
1 PM	ESE 18.2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 7.0 ft @ 12s
2 PM	ESE 18 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 6.8 ft @ 11s
3 PM	ESE 17.7 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 6.8 ft @ 11s
4 PM	ESE 17.7 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 6.6 ft @ 11s
5 PM	ESE 18.2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 6.4 ft @ 11s
6 PM	ESE 17.5 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 6.3 ft @ 11s
7 PM	ESE 18 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 6.2 ft @ 11s
8 PM	ESE 17.6 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 6.0 ft @ 11s
9 PM	ESE 17.2 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 5.9 ft @ 11s
10 PM	ESE 17.4 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 5.8 ft @ 11s
11 PM	ESE 16.6 ktcross-shore	Unavailableunavailable	SSW 5.6 ft @ 11s

12 AMUnavailable

WindESE 20.3 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.0 ft @ 13s

1 AMUnavailable

WindESE 20.6 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.1 ft @ 13s

2 AMUnavailable

WindESE 20.3 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.2 ft @ 13s

3 AMUnavailable

WindESE 20.4 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.3 ft @ 13s

4 AMUnavailable

WindESE 21.4 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.3 ft @ 12s

5 AMUnavailable

WindESE 19.9 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.3 ft @ 12s

6 AMUnavailable

WindESE 18.8 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.4 ft @ 12s

7 AMUnavailable

WindESE 18.6 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.4 ft @ 12s

8 AMUnavailable

WindESE 17.8 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.3 ft @ 12s

9 AMUnavailable

WindESE 18.2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.3 ft @ 12s

10 AMUnavailable

WindESE 18.2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.2 ft @ 12s

11 AMUnavailable

WindESE 18.5 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.2 ft @ 12s

NoonUnavailable

WindESE 19.4 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.0 ft @ 12s

1 PMUnavailable

WindESE 18.2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 7.0 ft @ 12s

2 PMUnavailable

WindESE 18 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 6.8 ft @ 11s

3 PMUnavailable

WindESE 17.7 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 6.8 ft @ 11s

4 PMUnavailable

WindESE 17.7 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 6.6 ft @ 11s

5 PMUnavailable

WindESE 18.2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 6.4 ft @ 11s

6 PMUnavailable

WindESE 17.5 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 6.3 ft @ 11s

7 PMUnavailable

WindESE 18 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 6.2 ft @ 11s

8 PMUnavailable

WindESE 17.6 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 6.0 ft @ 11s

9 PMUnavailable

WindESE 17.2 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 5.9 ft @ 11s

10 PMUnavailable

WindESE 17.4 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 5.8 ft @ 11s

11 PMUnavailable

WindESE 16.6 ktcross-shoreTideUnavailableunavailableOffshore swellSSW 5.6 ft @ 11s

Tide

Local tide station unavailable

Tide predictions are unavailable for this period.

About this spot

Model-grid forecast requested at the mapped coordinate; reef, headland, and nearshore transformations are unresolved. Reef pass break. Editor-reviewed pass coordinate; 225 degrees is an approximate exposure bearing, not bathymetric precision.

Mapped spot coordinate: -18.47111111, 177.9294444.

Yanuca / Beqa sector, not the Mamanuca Islands · Southwest-facing outer reef pass west-southwest of Beqa and Yanuca, Kadavu Passage · Ocean-facing bearing 225° · Location provenance

Model request point: Frigates Passage (-18.47111111, 177.9294444). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

Forecast sources

Data coverage 2/6 sources

Source availability is not forecast accuracy. Where an empirical model passes historical testing, its error and interval coverage are shown above. Source count cannot increase that confidence.

Coverage tier D · PACIFIC_MODEL · spot-level model point

National or regional meteorological marine bulletin
No current Fiji Met marine bulletin passed issuer, issue-time, validity, Fiji-waters scope, knots, sea-state, and content validation.UnavailableNo source time
The Buoy API
The nearest discovered buoy was over 100 km away in the Mamanuca group and is not assigned to Frigates Passage.UnavailableNo source time
WorldTides API
No Frigates Passage tide station has a verified response contract. The Fiji Met Suva annual tide-calendar PDF at https://www.met.gov.fj/climate-services/suva-tide-prediction/ is not assigned across Beqa/Yanuca without a checked station coordinate, distance, local phase applicability, datum, timezone, and machine-readable schema.UnavailableNo source time
Open-Meteo Marine API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 23, 11:30 AM GMT+12
Open-Meteo Weather API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 23, 11:30 AM GMT+12
Copernicus Marine Global Ocean Waves
Copernicus Marine requires an account/toolbox workflow and no independently connected Fiji response is available.UnavailableNo source time
Surf-Forecast public pages
Spot discovery and break-specific HTML fallbackNot applicableNo source time
Surfline public spot pages
Break-specific comparison, cams, and metadataNot applicableNo source time

How best guesses are made

Best guesses combine usable wave and wind evidence, with qualitative confidence and specific limitations. A missing tide or local surf-height model does not prevent useful guidance. Tide levels use the named station datum; their effect at this break remains uncertain. Wind direction is relative to the mapped beach orientation, without calibrated terrain or shelter effects. The comparison is a heuristic, not a measured quality rating.