Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s get into it. The outlook for Hakalau is a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got some solid swell windows, but the wind and conditions are going to be the main talking points. It’s not all doom and gloom, but you’ll need to pick your moments.

The first few days are a write-off, I’m afraid. From Saturday the 29th right through to Wednesday the 2nd of September, it’s pretty much a no-go. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, the swell is short-period and messy, and the wave energy is low, sitting around 238 to 399 (weak). The water temp is a warm 81°, about 2° warmer than usual for this time of year, so that’s nice, but the surf is just poor. You’d be wasting your time.

Things start to get a little more interesting on Wednesday the 2nd of September, but it’s still marginal. We see a jump in period to 12 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, and the combined energy hits 872 (moderate). The swell is coming from the ESE at 4ft, but it’s still onshore wind. Not great, but it’s a sign of life.

Thursday the 3rd of September is where we see our first real option. The swell picks up to 6ft from the ESE with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 1392 (moderate). The downside is a cross-onshore wind from the NNE at 9 mph, which will make it a bit bumpy. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the best we’ve had so far. The break is a river mouth, so it might handle the chop better than a beach. The optimum swell direction is ENE, so this ESE swell is a bit off, but it’s close enough to get some waves.

The real energy arrives on Friday the 4th of September and into the weekend. We’re looking at 10ft+ swell from the ESE, with a 12-second period. The combined energy rockets up to 2929 (strong) on Friday and then 4484 (very strong) on Saturday the 5th of September. This is serious swell. The problem is the wind. It’s cross-onshore from the NE and E, and on Saturday afternoon it’s a fresh 19 mph breeze. This is going to be a lumpy, choppy mess. For a river mouth like Hakalau, a long-period swell (12 seconds) will tend to wrap in, but the wind is going to kill it. This is definitely expert-only territory with the size and the wind. Honestly, with that wind and the size, it might be more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle-surfing one.

After that big pulse, we drop back down. From Sunday the 6th of September through to the 13th, it’s back to poor conditions. The swell is smaller, the period drops, and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore. The combined energy is mostly below 500 (weak), and the wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions.” There’s a small window on Wednesday the 9th of September where the swell picks up to 6ft from the ENE with a 9-second period, and combined energy of 804 (moderate), but it’s still onshore wind. Not worth getting excited about.

Friday the 11th of September is the closest thing to a standout in the second week. The swell is 5ft from the E with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is 571 (moderate). The wind is light from the NE at 6 mph, which is a light cross-onshore. It’s not glassy, but it’s the cleanest we’ll see in that period. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

Overall, the only window that’s really worth considering is around Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September, but it’s for experienced surfers only. The crowds are listed as “sometimes” at Hakalau, so you might get a little company, but with these conditions, I doubt it’ll be packed.

Rusty.

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