Baldwin Beach Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for us.

First off, I’ll be straight with you – this stretch is a tough one. We’re talkin’ about Baldwin Beach Park on the North Shore of Maui, a reef and point set-up that usually knows how to handle a swell. But for the next couple of weeks, it’s a real battle to find a window that’s worth paddlin’ out for. The water’s sittin’ at a warm 80°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The pattern starts out rough. From Sunday the 23rd all the way through to the end of the month, we’ve got a solid run of poor surf conditions. The wind is a persistent cross-shore breeze from the east-northeast at 15 mph, which is just enough to mess up the face. The swell is mostly hanging around 5 ft to 6 ft, coming from the ENE, but the period is short – 6 to 9 seconds – so it’s disorganised and weak. The combined energy is in the moderate range (values between 270 and 496), but it’s not translating into any decent shape. The wave comment just says “poor surf conditions” across the board, and the scores are a big fat zero. There’s a bit of a gap here with no real recommendation for a solid week.

As we slide into the first few days of September, things don’t improve much. The wind stays cross or cross-onshore, and the swell is still short-period. The waves are 5 ft to 5 ft, but the energy is still moderate and the quality is poor. The water temp anomaly is missing, but the pattern is the same – no standouts.

Then, on Wednesday the 2nd of September, we finally see a tiny flicker. The swell bumps up to 7 ft from the ENE with an 8-second period, and the combined energy pushes into the strong range at 524. The forecast calls it “marginal” – not great, but it’s a step up. The wind is still cross-shore from the ENE at 12 mph, so it’s not clean, but at least the size is there. Still, it’s not a day to get excited about.

The real highlight – and I mean the only one that’s got my attention – is the morning of Sunday the 6th of September. The swell is 8 ft from the ENE, with a period of 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The combined energy is a massive 1271, which is strong. The wind is a light 6 mph from the NE, so it’s cross-onshore but with only light breeze – that’s about as clean as we’re gonna get. That said, 8 ft is getting into the size where it’s only for experienced surfers, especially at a reef and point. It’s a long-period swell, so it’ll wrap in nicely, but the cross-onshore element means it won’t be glassy. Still, this is the best shot we’ve got.

The following Monday the 7th of September drops back down to 5 ft to 6 ft with a 9-second period, and the wind is light from the north-northeast. It’s “marginal” again, but nothing special.

Bottom line: if you’re a seasoned surfer with a bit of patience, the Sunday morning of the 6th of September is your one true standout. Everything else is either too choppy, too weak, or just plain messy. Keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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