Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what we’ve got coming up for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but I’ll walk you through it.

Honestly, the outlook starts off pretty grim. The first few days are a write-off for quality surf. We’re looking at a lot of poor conditions with onshore and cross-onshore winds messing things up. There’s a glimmer of hope later on, but you’ll have to be patient.

Hakalau (river mouth) – This is the only spot on the cards for a while. For the rest of August and into the first days of September, the surf quality is poor. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, coming from the ENE or NE, keeping things bumpy and uninviting. Swell heights bob around between 2ft and 6ft, but the short period (7-8 seconds) means weak, crumbly waves. The combined energy is mostly in the moderate range (208 to 442), but it’s just not clean enough to paddle out for a good time.

We see a shift starting on Wednesday the 2nd of September. The period jumps to 10 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to a strong 835, then to 1048 on Wednesday afternoon. The swell is from the ESE at 6ft. It’s still a bit lumpy with a gentle cross-onshore, but the forecast calls it “marginal” – it’s not great, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. The water is a warm 82°F with a 2°F anomaly, so it’s a touch warmer than average for this time of year.

Now, the standout window is Thursday, September 3rd to Sunday, September 6th. This is the best on offer. On Thursday morning, we get a clean 7ft swell from the east with a solid 12-second period. The combined energy hits 1440 (very strong) and the wind is light and onshore from the ENE. The only downside is the wind picks up a bit in the afternoon, turning cross-onshore. By Friday the 4th, the swell holds at 8ft from the east with that long 12-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is huge at 1868 to 2021. The wind stays light and cross-onshore. This is big, powerful surf. At 8ft, it’s for experienced surfers only. That long period (over 11 seconds) means these waves will have real punch and should hold up well at the river mouth, though the long period can make beach breaks a bit straight; a river mouth is a good fit for it.

The weekend of the 5th and 6th of September sees the swell holding around 8ft to 8ft, with the period dropping slightly to 11 seconds. The wind is light and onshore from the east/northeast. The energy remains very strong (1320 to 1903). It’s still a powerful, chunky setup, but the wind stays light, which is a major positive for keeping the surface clean. For the best chance at a clean wave, aim for the morning sessions on the 3rd, 4th, or 5th.

After that, from Monday the 7th of September onwards, it all falls apart again. The winds get strong, the chop builds, and the quality drops right back to poor. The swell stays up around 8ft, but with moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds and rain or storms, it becomes a lumpy, blown-out mess. It’s not worth your time, unless you’re into a challenge with heavy chop.

Summing it up: pass on this week and the very start of next week. Focus on the Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th of September for the biggest, most powerful swell of the period, especially the morning sessions when the wind is lightest. It’s expert territory, so keep that in mind.

Rusty.

Read more