Banzai Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a pretty grim stretch for surf at Banzai (reef). The whole 16-day window is a write-off for anything decent. We’ve got a long run of poor surf conditions, with only a couple of days that even get a marginal call, and even those are nothing to get excited about.

The first week is a total blank. Starting from Saturday, August 29, right through to the middle of the following week, it’s just poor surf day after poor surf day. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 4 ft, with short, weak periods between 5 and 7 seconds. The combined energy of all swells directed here is weak, barely breaking 100 (max 201 on Sunday afternoon). Winds are mostly cross-onshore or onshore, meaning the surface is chopped up and messy. Saturday morning has water temp at 85°F with a 1°F anomaly, so it’s about average for this time of year.

We get a slight bump in size around Monday, September 7, with the swell pushing 4 ft to 5 ft from the SE, period up to 8 seconds, and combined energy hitting 218 to 250. Still, the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and the wave comment says poor surf conditions. Not worth paddling out.

The only real standout – and I’m using that word loosely – is Wednesday, September 9, morning. The swell is 6 ft from the ESE, period 8 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 556. That’s moderate wave energy, and the wind is light cross-onshore from the ESE at 10 km/h (6 mph), so there’s a chance of small wind ripples rather than full chop. It’s still rated marginal at best, but for this stretch, it’s the closest thing to a wave. The swell direction is ESE, which is not ideal for Banzai’s optimum from the south. Still, if you’re desperate, that morning might have a few weak, crumbly lines.

After that, it fades again. Thursday, September 10, morning shows 6 ft from the ESE and combined energy up to 703, but it’s onshore wind and poor conditions. The rest of the second week is small, weak, and onshore.

So, the bottom line: there’s no good surf in this 16-day window. If you’re a beginner, the swell barely gets above 5 ft, but the conditions are so poor it doesn’t matter. The water is warm, but that’s about the only positive. When the swell does pick up a little in early September, the wind is against us. For a reef break like Banzai, you need clean offshore or light winds, and we’re just not getting it. This is one of those blank runs that happens sometimes. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a solid no-go.

Rusty.

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