Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you how it’s looking for Hakalau over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a bit of a rough stretch. The first week or so isn’t offering much for a traditional paddle surfer, but there are a few windows later that might get the heart rate up if you’re patient and willing to deal with some messy conditions.

For the immediate future, from August 17th through about the 20th, we’ve got tiny to small waves – we’re talking 2ft to 5ft – coming mostly from the east with a short, weak period around 6 to 8 seconds. The combined swell energy is weak, ranging from 130 to 318 units, so there’s just not much power in the water. Winds are mostly onshore or cross-on from the east and northeast, and often there’s rain or clouds. The water temp is sitting at 81°F, which is pretty normal for Hakalau this time of year – no crazy anomaly there. The surf quality is poor, so don’t expect much.

Now, after that quiet spell, things start to pick up in size, but the quality remains a major question mark. From around August 22nd, we see a slow build in swell size. By the 23rd and 24th, we’re looking at 7ft to 8ft east swell with periods stretching to 9-10 seconds. The combined energy jumps into the moderate to strong range (720 to 822 units), but the wind is either onshore or cross-on from the northeast and east, keeping things choppy. The morning of the 24th is a little interesting – 7ft from the ESE with 10-second period and the winds are onshore but lighter – it’s rated as marginal, which means you might find a few if you’re keen, but it won’t be clean.

Here’s where it gets a bit more serious, but you’ll need to be an expert or at least very comfortable in heavy, messy water. From August 25th onwards, the swell really cranks up. We’re talking 8ft to 12ft east swell, and by the 27th of August, we’re looking at a solid 12ft with a 10-second period. The combined energy rockets up into the very strong range, hitting 3888 units on the 27th morning. But again, the wind is cross-on from the southeast and east – moderate breeze – making conditions poor to marginal. The afternoon of the 27th is a bit better with onshore wind, but it’s still a beast for experts only.

The real standout, if you can call it that, looks like the very end of the forecast – September 1st. We’ve got a powerful 12ft to 13ft east swell with an 11-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, with combined energy readings of 2725 and 3709 units. This is big, strong stuff. However, the wind stays cross-on from the east at 20 km/h (12 mph), creating a moderate cross-onshore chop. For a river mouth break like Hakalau, a long-period east swell can set up well, but the onshore breeze will be a battle. This is for experienced surfers only – beginners should stay well clear.

So, in short: the first week is small and weak, the second week is big but rough. August 24th morning offers the best compromise of size and slightly lighter winds, but September 1st (Tuesday) is the biggest, most powerful swell of the window – if you’re an expert and don’t mind choppy conditions, that’s your shot. Crowds are possible at Hakalau, but with the wind and size, it might keep the numbers down. For the average surfer, this isn’t the best two weeks. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days.

Rusty

Read more