Hanamizu River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin' for the Hanamizu River stretch over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it’s a quiet start. We’re talkin' a whole lot of nothin' for the first few days. Thursday the 30th of July through to Saturday the 1st of August is just flat or tiny, with swells barely reaching 1 foot to 2 feet. The wind is mostly cross-onshore and the wave energy is weak, nothin' in the tank. You’re lookin' at a solid three-day gap with no real surf to speak of.

Come Sunday the 2nd of August, there’s a flicker of life. The morning shows a tiny 1 foot swell from the ESE, but the period jumps to 16 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell. The combined energy is moderate (104) and it’s glassy. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon gets a bit more energy (136) but a cross-onshore wind and a risk of storms spoil it.

Now, Monday the 3rd of August is where things start to get interesting. The morning is still marginal with a 3 foot SE swell and a 17-second period, energy is ramping up (494), but it’s cross-shore wind. But hold onto your board – Monday afternoon is the real standout of the whole run. We’ve got a 4 foot swell from the SE, a 17-second period, glassy conditions, and strong wave energy (671). The water temp is about 81°, which is pretty normal for this time of year. This is a sweet spot: clean, long-period groundswell, but remember, at a beach/sandbar setup like this, that long period can make ‘em a bit straight. Still, for the size and the glass, this is the one to aim for.

The swell builds quickly after that. Tuesday the 4th of August sees 6 to 7 foot SE swell, but the wind turns cross-onshore, so the quality drops. The energy is strong (2259-2836). It’s gettin' big, but not clean.

Then we hit the big stuff. From Wednesday the 5th of August through Thursday the 6th of August, we’re lookin' at a solid 10 foot swell from the SSE to S, with a 16-second period. The energy is very strong (3825-5135). This is expert territory – over 8 feet – and the wind is mostly cross-onshore, makin' it a bit of a mess. The morning of the 6th has offshore wind, which is a plus, but the sheer size at a beach break means it’s gonna be a foamy, closed-out mess for most. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly.

The swell drops through the 7th and 8th of August, but the wind stays messy. By the 9th of August, we’re back to small, weak junk, and the rest of the second week – from the 10th to the 14th of August – is a flat, windy, and generally poor run. The wave energy drops to double digits, and the swell is tiny. Nothin' worth paddlin' out for.

So, to wrap it up: the best session on offer is Monday afternoon, the 3rd of August at Hanamizu River. That 4 foot SE groundswell with glassy conditions is your window. The big swell mid-week is for the brave and the experienced only, and even then, it’s not clean. The rest is a write-off.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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