Halawa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about this stretch – it’s a rough one. We’ve got a full 16-day window to look at, but honestly, for the paddle surfer, it’s a long, dry spell. The whole run is plagued by cross-shore wind, which is just chopping everything up. There’s not a single standout session in the whole forecast, so temper those expectations.

The only spot we’ve got to talk about is Halawa (Molokai). It’s a reef and river setup, exposed to the swell, and it’s fairly consistent, but it’s also a spot that can get a few heads. The water temp is sitting at 79°, which is basically bang on normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 18th of July sees a 7ft ENE swell with a short 8-second period, but that 19 mph cross-shore wind from the east turns it into a lumpy mess. The energy is moderate (576), but it’s not worth getting wet for. This pattern pretty much holds through the whole first week: swells bumping around 5ft to 8ft, always with that cross-shore breeze, and the wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions.” The combined energy fluctuates, hitting moderate to strong levels (like 534 on the 24th and 501 on the 25th), but the wind just ruins the quality.

Into the second week, we start seeing longer period swells, which is a tease. By Tuesday the 28th of July, in the afternoon, a big 12-second pulse shows up from the ENE. The energy is very strong (1216), but the swell is 7ft and the wind is still cross-shore. That’s a recipe for a choppy, hard-to-read wave. It’s only scored a 1 out of 10, and that’s about right. The 29th of July morning has a similar vibe with a 12-second period, but the swell drops to 4ft and the energy is still strong (520), but again, the wind is the killer.

The last few days of July and into August are no better. The wind stays fresh and cross-shore, the swell drops off, and the energy gets weak. The 2nd of August afternoon throws a weird 2ft swell from the west with a 13-second period, but the energy is weak (159) and the wind is 19 mph cross-shore. It’s just not going to happen.

So, the bottom line: there is no best on offer here. The entire 16-day window is a bust for clean surf. The constant cross-shore wind is the main culprit. If you’ve got a kite, this constant cross-shore breeze and those moderate to strong swells on the beach and reef setup might actually look interesting. But for a paddle surfer? Save the energy. The forecasts can always change, but right now, I’d be finding something else to do.

Rusty

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