Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight – the next couple of weeks at Hakalau are pretty grim. There’s nothing worth paddling out for right now, and honestly, you’d be better off finding something else to do for most of this outlook.

Right from the start on Thursday the 9th, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a 6ft ENE swell but it’s wrapped in rain showers, and the wind is howling from the east at 9 mph, sitting cross-onshore. That combo churns up a choppy mess with weak combined energy (329). The water sits at a normal 80° for this time of year, but you won’t be enjoying it. The whole stretch from Thursday through to Tuesday the 14th is filled with “poor surf conditions” – it’s just nasty out there.

There’s a brief flicker on Sunday the 12th afternoon when the swell pushes to 7ft from ENE and combined energy jumps to 1220 – that’s moderate wave energy. But the wind is still onshore from the ENE at 9 mph, and the call is “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” That’s not a session I’d bet on, and honestly, 7ft here with onshore wind is a close-out factory. Not beginner-friendly either. If you’re an expert and desperate, maybe sit on the bank and watch, but don’t paddle out.

It stays poor through the middle of the week. Rain, cross-onshore winds, and tiny swells – from 4ft down to 3ft – just nothing to get excited about. The combined energy drops to the low 200s and even 100s by the 15th. That’s weak.

Then, come Monday the 20th, something interesting happens. The swell drops to just 3ft, but the period shoots up to 19 seconds – that’s a very long-period groundswell from the east. Combined energy spikes to 897, which is moderate. The wind shifts to onshore from the ENE at 9 mph, but it’s light. This is a classic long-period, small swell situation – the sort that only works if you’re on a point or reef. Hakalau is a river break, so don’t expect these long lines to peel nicely. They’ll jack up fast and fat. Still, it’s a bit of a tease. The next day, Tuesday the 21st, sees a similar 4ft swell with a 16-second period and combined energy at 1048 – that’s the highest moderate reading in the whole run. Wind is onshore again, though (ENE 9 mph), so it’s still messy. The score is a 2 out of 10, and that’s the best you’ll see. This would be a day for experienced surfers only, and only if the tide lines up. Long period at a river break is tricky.

After that, it tails off fast. From Wednesday the 22nd through to Friday the 24th, the swell drops below 3ft, the period shortens to 6 or 7 seconds, and combined energy sinks to the 70s and 100s – weak all round. Cross-onshore winds keep it choppy. Not a single recommendation to chase.

If you’re a kitesurfer, the beach setup here with consistent cross-onshore winds and moderate swell from the 12th to the 19th could look more interesting than a paddle. But for surfing, this is a long, quiet spell. The forecast can always change, but for now, Hakalau is giving nothing.

Rusty.

Read more