Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a proper struggle. We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for the first few days. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-on, and the swell is short-period, messy stuff. You’ll be fighting a chop that’ll have you questioning your life choices. It’s not until Sunday the 26th that anything even sniffs a chance, and even then it’s a “marginal” call. The wave energy is beefing up a bit by then, hitting 768 (moderate), but the 14-second period is a long-period groundswell, which can be tricky at a river mouth like Hakalau – it might be a bit too straight for the banks.

Sunday the 26th morning is your first real peek. The wind is light from the ENE at 6 mph, almost glassy, with a 4ft swell from the east. That’s clean, but small. The afternoon holds similar, with a touch more size at 4ft. Still, for a river break, that long period might make it fickle.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Monday the 27th. The swell jumps up to 6ft from the east, with a solid 13-second period. The energy is pumping at 1142 (strong). Monday morning has light onshore winds from the ENE at 6 mph, which is workable, but Monday afternoon is where it’s at. The wind goes light and cross-on from the NE, leaving just small wind ripples. This is the cleanest window in the whole outlook. The water is a balmy 80°F, which is about average for the time of year, so just boardies and a rashie.

Tuesday the 28th keeps the size up, with 6ft to 8ft from the ENE, but the wind swings cross-shore, first from the north at 12 mph, then from the NNW at 16 mph with a risk of thunderstorms. That’s going to be a lumpy, cross-chop mess. The energy is huge (1703 on Tuesday arvo), but the wind is just going to tear it apart. That’s one for the experts only, if anyone.

The rest of the run is a bit of a write-off. From Wednesday the 29th through to the end of the first week, we get fresh onshore winds and drop in swell quality. The second week, from the 31st of July onwards, is a real mixed bag. There’s some potential on the 2nd of August with a 3ft, 17-second groundswell from the east, but that’s small and very, very long period. It’s a marginal call at best. The 3rd and 4th of August have similar long-period east swell (4ft to 4ft) with light onshore winds, so it’s worth a paddle if you’re desperate, but don’t expect fireworks.

The crowds at Hakalau can be a thing sometimes, so don’t be surprised if there’s a few others out there on the better days.

So, to wrap it up: the whole forecast is a bit of a slow burn. The best bet, the only real standout, is Monday the 27th afternoon. That’s your call. After that, the swell is either too windy, too short-period, or just too inconsistent to get excited about. It’s a classic case of waiting for the weather to line up.

Rusty.

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