Hanamizu River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We've got a look at the Hanamizu River, and honestly, the next couple of weeks are a bit of a slow burn. The first few days are a non-starter; we're talking tiny ripples and poor conditions until the middle of next week. Hang tight, because there's a pulse of energy coming, but it's got its own quirks.

The water is sitting at about 74°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year.

The real interest kicks off on Tuesday the 7th. We start to see a long-period SSE groundswell building, and by Wednesday morning the 8th, Hanamizu River is picking up a solid 6 ft of swell from the SSE with a period of 17 seconds. That's proper groundswell, with moderate energy (2038). But, with a 17-second period, this kind of long-period swell can be tricky on a beach/sandbar setup like this – it'll be powerful, but might wall up and close out in sections. The morning wind is cross-shore from the NE at 12 mph, so it'll be a bit lumpy. It's pushing 6 ft, so beginners should be wary.

The standout window looks to be Thursday the 9th through to Saturday the 11th. Friday the 10th morning is looking like the pick of the week. The swell holds around 7 ft from the S, 16-second period, with a solid cross-shore breeze from the NE at 9 mph. That's serious energy (2163) and the cross-off wind on Tuesday said clean, so we have a shot at some decent, punchy walls. This is expert territory at 7 ft+, so it's not for the faint-hearted or the foamies crew.

However, the wind does swing onshore from the SE during the afternoons, making things choppier. And then by Sunday the 12th, the swell starts to drop, and the wind goes to hell with a cross-on flow. By the following week (starting July 14th), we're back to tiny, weak windswell – 2 ft or less – and it's not worth paddling out for.

So, the long and short of it: the best bet is the Friday the 10th session at Hanamizu River. It's got the size (7 ft S), the period (16 seconds), and the morning cross-shore NE breeze to keep it relatively clean. But with a swell that big and a long period on a beach break, it'll be a handful. The crowd factor at Hanamizu River is listed as "sometimes", so you might have it to yourself, or you might not. If you're an expert looking for a challenge, that's your window. For the rest of us, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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