Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s shaping up for Hakalau over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. We’ve got a bit of a wait for anything that even whispers "surfable."

The first real chance to get wet isn't until Monday the 14th of September, and even then, it’s a pretty ordinary little pulse. The water temperature is sitting at 81°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least the wait won’t be a cold one.

The week starts with nothing doing. Friday the 11th and the weekend are basically write-offs with meager, weak energy from the ENE on Friday, and conditions staying poor. Saturday and Sunday see a bit of bump from the NNE, but it’s all messy and cross-onshore, with energy barely registering. Not worth paddling out.

Finally, Monday morning the 14th brings a slight glimmer. We’re looking at a small 2ft wave from the NE, and the key here is the wind: glassy! Absolutely dead calm. That’s a major positive for a spot that often sees some breeze. The period is only 8 seconds though, so it’s weak, short-period windswell, and the combined energy is low. You’ll be scratching for scraps, but if you’ve got a log and want a peaceful session with no crowds, this is your window. That same afternoon the wind shifts onshore and it’s back to junk.

The middle of the week gets a little more size, but the quality tanks. Tuesday the 15th is choppy and messy. Wednesday the 16th sees the swell bump up to 5ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon from the east, but combined energy jumps up and the wind is all wrong – cross-onshore with rain and even a risk of thunderstorms. The water is going to be a washing machine.

Thursday the 17th is the biggest call of the period, but it’s a tough one. The swell hits 7ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, straight from the east with a 10-second period. The combined energy is strong, over 1000. For an exposed river mouth, that’s going to be a lot of moving water, definitely a session for experienced surfers only. Problem is, the wind is a steady cross-onshore and we’ve got thunderstorm risks. It’s marginal, not clean.

From there, the outlook gets bleak again. The pulse holds around 5ft to 7ft through the following week, but it’s all cross-onshore and choppy with poor conditions dominating. By the time we get to Saturday the 26th of September, a long-period 14-second groundswell shows up from the NNW, with very strong energy, but the wind is howling cross-onshore from the SE, making it a complete mess for paddle surfing. With that much chop and those conditions, it looks more like a kite-surfing setup than a clean wave for a board.

So, what’s the standout? Honestly, there’s only one real highlight, and it’s a small one. Monday morning, September 14th at Hakalau. The swell is tiny at 2ft from the NE, but the wind is glassy. If you want a clean, easy-going session on the longboard, that’s your moment. For anything bigger, the winds just ruin it.

Rusty.

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