Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, with a look at what's coming up for the next sixteen days.

Right off the bat, let's look at Wednesday morning, August 19th. We've got some swell, but the wind is howling from the WNW at 22 mph. That cross-offshore wind is messy and making for poor surf conditions, so I'd give it a miss. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is about normal for this time of year, so the rubber is still on.

Things get a bit more interesting as we go. The swell direction is swinging to the southwest, and we're seeing some serious energy building. From Wednesday afternoon through the weekend, the combined swell energy is in the thousands (2494, 3050, 2913), which is solid. The problem is the wind stays on the cross or cross-on side, and the forecast keeps calling it "marginal" for tide or conditions. Thursday afternoon to Sunday morning is all in the 7ft to 8ft range with periods of 14 to 17 seconds, so there's good groundswell in the water, but it's looking lumpy.

Now, let’s get to the standout window. Starting Saturday afternoon, August 22nd, Chinamans (Big Island) starts to clean up. A 7ft SSW swell with a 15-second period and light cross-offshore wind from the west at 9 mph – that's the sweet spot. The combined energy is 2275, which is significant. This is an advanced reef break, and with that size, it's for experienced surfers only.

Sunday, August 23rd, is your other prime target. The morning sees a 7ft SW swell, 17-second period, and a light NNE cross-offshore breeze. Then, the afternoon is a magic moment: 6ft SW swell, 16-second period, with pure offshore wind from the NNW at just 6 mph. Clean, lined up, and perfect for the reef. This is the best on offer. Both days have "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" written all over them. Crowds are "sometimes" expected, so with quality this good, expect a few other crew out there.

Monday, August 24th, the swell backs off a little to 4ft by morning, but the afternoon picks up to a clean 6ft with a 14-second period and gentle offshore wind – another good, smaller session for the intermediate crowd.

The beginning of the second week gets mixed. Tuesday, August 25th, is a write-off with strong onshore winds. We get some clean windows on Wednesday, August 26th, with a 5ft offshore wind morning session, and then a real standout later on Monday, August 31st. On that Monday, we have an excellent morning: 5ft SW swell with a long 16-second period and clean offshore wind from the north. That's a great option for experienced surfers looking for clean, powerful lines on the reef.

The very end of the run on the 2nd and 3rd of September is looking promising, too. Wednesday the 2nd is killer: 6ft SW swell, a very long 19-second period, and light offshore NW wind. That’s not just a good day; that could be the session of the trip if you can read those long-period lines on the reef. Thursday the 3rd has a 5ft swell with zero wind – glassy conditions – for the afternoon.

That's the story. Some lumpy days to sit out, but a few absolute gems in there, especially this coming Sunday and then that long-period swell early next month. I'll be out there. Keep your eyes on the horizon.

Rusty.

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