Hanamizu River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, grab a coffee. Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks. It's a slow start, but there's a beautiful window of proper swell coming in the last week of July that’s worth getting excited about.

Right now, and for the next week, it's a real desert out there at Hanamizu River. The surf is tiny, mostly around 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft, with weak, short-period wind swell. The combined energy is pathetic, barely climbing above 30 (13 to 31). The wind is often cross-onshore, making things choppy and messy. Honestly, it's not worth paddling out for. There's a small window on the afternoon of the 23rd with a clean, cross-off breeze, but the swell is still a measly 1 ft with a period of only 6 seconds. It's a tease. This flat spell drags on all the way through the 27th, with only a slight bump to 2 ft on the afternoon of the 26th, but it's accompanied by a 12 mph cross-onshore wind. It's a kite-surfing setup, not a paddle-surfing one.

Now, hold on to your board. The end of July is where it gets proper. The real action starts on the morning of the 28th of July. The swell jumps right up to 5 ft from the S, with a long 14-second period and moderate combined energy (1092). The wind is light and onshore, so it's a bit of a gamble.

The standout is the 29th of July. The morning delivers a clean 5 ft swell from the SSW, a 14-second period, and the wind is glassy. Combined energy is a solid 1070. The afternoon session is just as good, with the same swell size and direction, glassy conditions, and a combined energy of 988. This is the best of the best for the whole forecast. The surf will be clean, well-shaped, and a joy to ride. The waves will be powerful with that long period, making for some proper lines.

The 30th of July is still very good, with 5 ft to 6 ft SSW swell and a 14-second period, but the wind turns a little cross-onshore, taking the shine off compared to the 29th.

Then we get to the 31st of July. The morning is a real treat for experienced surfers. The swell is a solid 8 ft from the SSW with a very long 15-second period, and the wind is glassy. The combined energy is a massive 2684. This is a big, powerful groundswell that will be breaking with serious authority. It's expert territory. The afternoon, however, is a different story. The swell jumps to a monstrous 15 ft from the S, with a 16-second period. The combined energy is an enormous 11914. The break is simply too big and will be extremely dangerous. Leave that one for the chargers who know what they're doing.

The first of August is a write-off. The morning has a 7 ft SW swell but with a 22 mph cross-off wind, making it a messy, blown-out nightmare. The afternoon has a 8 ft SSW swell, but with a strong onshore wind of 12 mph. The combined energy is still high, but the conditions are unsurfable.

From the 2nd of August onwards, the swell drops right back down to 3 ft and below, with poor, weak conditions returning for the rest of the forecast. That window of goodness is short-lived but sweet.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a total write-off. Do not bother. The 29th of July is the absolute best day on offer. Then the 31st of July is a big, expert-only session in the morning. Get on it.

Rusty.

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