Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a coffee, let’s have a look at what's on the cards for Halawa. This is a tricky one, and I gotta be straight with you – this is not a classic run for this spot. We’ve got a real messy patch to start, before one absolute beauty of a day pops up mid-next week, then we’re back into a frustrating zone.

The first week is pretty much a write-off, to be honest. From Friday the 24th right through to Tuesday the 29th, it’s just one poor wind report after another. That trade wind is blowing hard, 22 mph, and it's coming across the swell, or even slightly on. That’s going to chop everything to bits. We’ve got some energy in the water, with combined swell energy hitting around (427 to 489) in that first weekend, but it’s a 7 to 7 ft short-period ENE windswell. The period’s only 7 or 8 seconds, so it’s just messy, lumpy stuff. No point paddling out in that, you’re just getting knocked around.

Then, Wednesday the 29th. This is the one. Mark it down. The morning is looking exceptional. A solid 10 ft NE groundswell is forecast, and the period stretches out to a proper 10 seconds, so there’s real power and shape in the water. The combined swell energy is massive at (1975) – you’ll feel that. The wind swings around to a light 9 mph SW, which is cross-offshore and clean. For a reef/river setup like Halawa, that will set it up real nice. This is for experienced surfers only though – at 10 ft, it’s pushing the limits for anyone green. It will be a standout session. The afternoon holds a decent 7 ft ENE swell with clean conditions on a light SE breeze, but that morning is the highlight of the whole 16 days.

After that high, the plug gets pulled. Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st are flat, with barely a ripple.

Moving into August, the first week is frustrating. From Saturday the 1st through to Sunday the 4th, the trades are back up, blowing 15-22 mph from the ENE. The swell is there, 6 to 8 ft range, but the combined energy is moderate to strong (361 to 721) and it’s all short-period windswell again, 7 to 8 seconds. That combination of strong cross-shore wind and short choppy waves is no good for a paddle board. For the kitesurfers among you, that strong side-shore wind and lumpy 8 ft swell might look interesting, but for us with paddles, it’s a no-go.

There’s a tiny flicker on Tuesday the 4th afternoon – a 7 ft swell with a very long 12-second period, giving a solid (1248) combined energy – but the wind is still a messy cross-shore. Tides might make it work, but it’s a gamble.

The rest of the second week, from the 5th to the 8th, stays poor with those relentless trades chopping up any decent swell that comes through. The water temp is sitting at a comfortable 80°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, but it’s hard to enjoy it with all that wind.

So, to sum it up: forget the first five days. Wait for the Wednesday morning of the 29th for a real clean, powerful session – that’s the standout. After that, it’s back to waiting for the trades to ease off.

Rusty.

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