Hanamizu River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's break down what’s going on at Hanamizu River for the next couple of weeks.

We've got a small window of rideable, if not perfect, waves early on, then a long, quiet stretch sets in. Water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary.

The action kicks off on Wednesday, August 5th. There's a solid 7ft swell rolling in from the SSE, with a very long 15-second period – that's proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a hefty 2348. That’s a lot of power in the water. The morning looks best with a cross-offshore wind from the NE at 12 mph, keeping things clean. The afternoon gets a cross-on wind, so it’ll get a bit messy. Still, for a beginner-friendly beach/sandbar spot, this is the standout of the whole forecast. It’s a bit big for total newbies, but if you’ve got a little experience, Wednesday morning is the time to go. Expect some company, as crowds are possible here.

Thursday the 6th drops a notch. The swell is still a decent 6ft from the SSE, but the period is still long at 13 seconds. The winds are more cross or cross-on, so the quality isn’t as good. The energy is moderate (1111). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Friday the 7th is similar. The swell holds around 7ft from the S, with a 14-second period and strong energy (2017). The wind is light and cross-on in the morning, with a chance of rain. It’s marginal. It’s there, but it’s not going to be a classic session.

From Saturday the 8th onwards, things start to fade fast. The swell drops below 7ft and the winds get worse, turning choppy. By Sunday the 9th, the combined energy is down to 852 and it’s already being described as poor.

Then, from Monday the 10th through to the end of the forecast on the 20th of August, it’s a total flat spell. We’re talking swell heights of 3ft or less, with the combined energy dropping from 351 all the way down to 35. The winds are often strong and offshore, which would be great if there was any swell, but there isn’t. It’s a long, dry gap of about 10 days with no worthwhile surf on offer. On the 14th of August, there’s a brief moment of glassy conditions with almost no swell (2ft, energy 93), described as "surfable but very ordinary." It’s a flat calm day for a paddle, not a surf.

So, for the best bet: get out there Wednesday morning, August 5th. That’s the only real window for a proper surf. After that, the forecast is pretty bleak. For an area like this, a long blank run like that isn’t too unusual. Fingers crossed the forecasts change for the better.

Rusty.

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