H-Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey, Rusty here. Let’s be real – this forecast is a long slog. We’ve got 16 days to look at, but the first week and a half is mostly junk. The surf is there, but the wind is ruining it. Let’s break it down.

The only spot in the game is H-Reef, a reef break for advanced surfers only. It’s fairly consistent, exposed to the swell, and loves a NNE direction. The water’s at 80°, which is pretty normal for this time of year – nothing wild.

From Tuesday the 25th of August through the end of the month, it’s a total bust. Swell heights are 4ft to 6ft, coming from the E or ENE, with a short, weak period of 7 to 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate – numbers like 381 on the 25th morning, up to 408 on the 29th – but it’s all cross-shore wind, 12 to 16 mph from the ENE. That’s putting a chop on everything, and the surf quality is poor. No waves worth paddling for.

Into the first week of September, things get a little better, but it’s still marginal. On Tuesday the 1st of September morning, we’ve got 6ft from the ENE at 8 seconds, but it’s still cross-shore with a cross-chop. The afternoon turns cross-onshore and choppy. Wednesday the 2nd sees a lighter breeze – 6 mph from the NE – but it’s cross-onshore, and the swell drops to 5ft. The afternoon gets a marginal nod with 5ft from the NE, but it’s still light cross-shore with small ripples. Not clean.

The standout comes on Thursday the 3rd of September. The morning bumps up to 6ft from the E, with the period stretching to 10 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 812 (moderate), and the wind is a gentle 9 mph cross-shore, giving us a slight cross-chop. It’s still marginal, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The afternoon gets even better: 7ft from the E, 11 seconds period, and the energy hits 1070 (strong). The wind picks up to 12 mph cross-shore, so there’s a bit of chop. Still, with that longer period, the waves will have more shape and punch. This is the pick of the entire forecast – a real window for advanced surfers.

Friday the 4th through Sunday the 6th stays marginal, with swell around 6ft to 7ft from the ENE, periods 9 to 10 seconds, and gentle to moderate cross-shore winds. The energy stays moderate to strong (708 to 1236), but the quality never locks in. Then on Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th, we see the period jump to 11 and even 12 seconds. Tuesday the 8th afternoon has 8ft from the ENE at 12 seconds – that’s a big, long-period groundswell – with combined energy of 1568 (very strong). The wind is moderate cross-shore, so there’s chop, but that’s a lot of power. For experts only, and it’s still a gamble. Wednesday the 9th drops back to 8ft with 11 seconds, but the wind picks up to 16 mph, making it messy again.

So, if you’re waiting, the best call is the 3rd of September – that Thursday morning and afternoon. The swell is solid, the period is long enough to get some juice, and the wind is as good as we’re going to get. For the rest, you’re chasing marginal stuff. Beginners should stay out – anything over 5ft, and especially over 7ft, is too much. And with that long-period swell on the 8th, it’s going to be breaking straight at a reef, so only the experienced crew should be out there.

Rusty.

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