Fare Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The long-range charts have been lighting up for a while now, and it looks like we’ve got a proper waiting game on our hands. The first real pulse of energy isn’t here yet, but the model runs are all pointing to a solid stretch of groundswell lining up for the end of the month and into September. We’re looking at a bit of a dry spell to start, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board just yet.

The forecast opens for us on Thursday the 20th of August. Fare-Left (Big Island) is your go-to spot, and honestly, it’s only for the experienced crew. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. We’ve got a solid 6.2ft of SW groundswell rolling in with a long 15-second period. The swell energy is strong, reading 1701 in the combined energy. Winds are light and glassy out of the west in the morning which is perfect, making for some excellent, clean conditions for those who can handle a fast, hollow reef break. This is a standout, no doubt. It’s a long-period swell, though, which can make it a bit sectiony at beach breaks, but on a reef like this, it should line up beautifully. The crowds are only “sometimes” an issue, which is a bonus. This one is for advanced surfers only, definitely not a beginner wave.

As we move into Thursday afternoon, the wind shifts cross-on and the energy is still there but the quality drops off. It becomes more marginal, and the tide might not be doing you any favors. The morning is definitely the window.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd get a bit messy. The swell is still pushing 6.6ft, but the wind swings around to a cross-off breeze from the SSE, getting up to 19 mph on Friday and 22 mph on Saturday. The surface stays clean, but the energy gets a bit weaker and more disorganized. It's not great, just kind of mediocre. The scores reflect that—it’s not a total loss, but you’d be chasing a much better wave than this.

The swell builds again for Sunday the 23rd, with heights around 6.9ft to 7.9ft from the SSW. The period stretches out to a very long 16 seconds, which bumps the energy way up to a strong 2572 in the morning and a whopping 4125 by the afternoon. But the problem is that fresh breeze from the ESE is making things a bit lumpy. It’s still clean, but the wind is just enough to take the shine off. It’s a fun, powerful wave, but not the top-tier conditions we’re all hoping for.

Monday the 24th sees a big spike in wind. A strong offshore breeze hits 28 mph, which will groom the faces but make it a real battle to paddle out. It’s the “strong offshore and clean but hard to paddle into” situation. The wave size drops to 6.6ft by morning and down to 4.6ft in the afternoon. It’s an expert-only session, and honestly, the paddle might not be worth the effort.

The rest of that week from Tuesday the 25th through to Monday the 31st is mostly a write-off. Wave heights drop down to a meagre 2ft to 4.6ft. Winds are strong offshore, making it hard to paddle, and the energy just dies. There are glimpses of a moderate offshore breeze on Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th, but the swell is weak. It's a few days of waiting it out.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. We have a serious pulse of long-period groundswell arriving right at the start of September. The models are keying in on a powerful SSW swell that builds through the 1st and hits its peak on the 2nd.

For Tuesday the 1st of September, we’re looking at 8.2ft of SSW swell with a 17-second period. The energy is strong, reading at 3859 in the morning. The wind is a moderate cross-off breeze, keeping it clean. This is a proper, meaty groundswell. It’s a bit much for intermediates, but for the experts at Fare-Left, this will be a day to remember.

But the real standout is Wednesday the 2nd of September. The swell holds at 8.2ft from the SSW, with a 16-second period, and the wind switches to a clean offshore flow out of the east at 12 mph. That’s the magic combination. Excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers, with moderate offshore winds. The quality is there, the size is there, and the direction is spot on. This is the day to clear your calendar. It’s still a couple of weeks out, so I’d keep an eye on it, but right now, this looks like the pick of the entire forecast.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September continue to deliver solid waves in the 7.5ft to 7.9ft range with offshore winds, but the period drops off slightly. It’s still going to be pumping, just not quite as perfect as that Wednesday.

So, bottom line: if you can only surf one day in the next two and a half weeks, keep your powder dry for Wednesday the

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