Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cooking at Hakalau over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a bit of a write-off. From Friday the 28th right through to the end of August, it’s looking rough. The swell is there, but it’s mostly short-period windswell coming from the east and east-northeast, and the wind is blowing straight onshore. The water’s warm, sitting at 82°, which is about a degree warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only highlight. The combined energy is weak to moderate (329-452) and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions” across the board. Not the start we wanted.

We get a bit of a tease on Sunday the 30th afternoon. The sun comes out, the wind drops to a light breeze, and the swell drops to 4ft from the east, but the score is still just marginal. It’s a small, short-period wave (7 seconds) with energy of 248. It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s the first hint of something less than terrible.

The pattern continues into the first week of September. The swell starts to build, but the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, and the quality remains poor. By Wednesday the 2nd, we see the energy jump to 735 and then 1007, but the period is still short (9-10 seconds) and the wind is on. A 7ft wave on Wednesday afternoon with a light breeze and clear skies is the best of a bad bunch, but it’s still marginal.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The second week sees the real energy arrive, but it comes with a catch. From Thursday the 3rd of September through to Saturday the 6th, the swell pumps up to 8ft to 10ft, with combined energy readings in the thousands (1421 to 2500). The period jumps to 12-13 seconds, so we’re talking proper groundswell from the east. But here’s the rub: the wind is consistently cross-onshore, coming from the north-northeast. It’s light enough on the 4th and 5th mornings, but it’s still messing up the surface. For experienced surfers, this is the window. The 8ft to 10ft east swell with a 12-13 second period has serious power. A 10ft, 12-second swell on Friday the 4th afternoon (energy 2114) is a standout for size, but the cross-onshore wind means you’ll be battling some chop. This is big, powerful stuff – over 8ft, so it’s for experts only. The direction (E) is a bit off the optimum (ENE) for Hakalau, but it’s close enough to get waves.

The latter part of the second week, from the 7th onwards, gets messy. The swell stays big (8ft to 12ft) but the wind picks up strong from the southeast, turning the whole setup into a choppy, cross-shore mess. The combined energy hits 4180 on Tuesday the 8th afternoon, which is massive, but with a 30 km/h cross-shore wind and only a 9-second period, it’s a washing machine. Honestly, with that much wind and that kind of swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The very last days, from the 10th to the 12th, the swell drops back down, but the wind stays nasty, with “poor surf conditions” all the way.

The call: If you’re a seasoned local who can handle a bit of chop, the standout is the couple of days from Thursday the 3rd to Saturday the 6th of September. The 8ft to 10ft east swell with a solid 12-13 second period is the real deal in terms of energy, but the wind will keep it from being perfect. It’s not a glassy, offshore day, but it’s the best we’ve got. For everyone else, it’s a week of waiting and hoping the wind shifts.

Rusty.

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