Cannons Surf Guide

Cannons in Kaua'i is an exposed reef break that has fairly consistent surf. Winter is the optimum time of year for surfing here. The best wind direction is from the south southwest. Groundswells are more common than windswells and the ideal swell direction is from the north northwest. Surfable at all stages of the tide. It's often crowded here. Hazards include - Urchins - Rocks - Localism - Pollution - Sharks.

Cannons Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Reef3fairly consistent
24.3°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Cannons:

The best conditions reported for surf at Cannons occur when a North-northwest swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the South-southwest.

What's the best time of year to surf Cannons (for consistent clean waves)?

januaryBest Season: winter
The best time of year for surfing Cannons with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter  and most often the month of January. Clean surfable waves are typically found 25% of the time in January while 62% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 13% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
25%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
62%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
13%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Cannons Location Map

Interactive Cannons surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Cannons is Barking Sands Pmrf Airport (BKH) in Usa Kauai Isl., 32 km (20 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Cannons is Lihue Airport (LIH), also in Usa Kauai Isl., 37 km (23 miles) away.

  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Cannons Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Tuesday, 5 May 2026, 01:00 Local Time
MonTuesday 05
11PM2AM5AM8AM
Wave (m)
1.4
NW
1.4
NW
1.3
NW
1.2
NW
Period (s) 12 12 12 11
Wind (km/h)
15
10
5
5
Wind State cross-
on
cross glass glass

Swell History at Cannons

Surf stats for Cannons, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

Wind History at Cannons

Wind stats for Cannons, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.


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