Hanamizu River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple weeks.

Alright, straight up, we’ve got a bit of a slow start and then a long, quiet stretch with hardly anything worth paddling out for. The only real chance to get wet comes in the first few days, and even then, it’s not firing on all cylinders.

The key spot here is Hanamizu River, a beach/sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent and beginner-friendly. It’s fairly exposed to the swell, with an optimum direction from the southeast.

Thursday morning, August 6th, we see the biggest pulse of the period: a 6 ft swell rolling in from the SSE with a solid 13-second period, giving us moderate to strong wave energy (1131). Water temp is a warm 81°, which is about average for this time of year. The wind is a cross-shore from the ENE at 9 mph, so it’s a little bumpy, but it’s the biggest size on offer. That afternoon, the wind swings southerly and the quality drops.

Friday morning, August 7th, still has some size at 5 ft from the south, with a 13-second period and moderate wave energy (962). The wind is light and onshore from the SSE at 6 mph, so it’s not clean, but it’s surfable. The afternoon goes downhill with a stronger cross-onshore wind.

Now, Saturday morning, August 8th, is probably the best call of the whole outlook. The swell has dropped to 4 ft from the south, with a 12-second period and wave energy at 516. The key here is the wind: glassy. Dead calm. A light air from the SE at 3 mph. That makes for clean, fun waves, especially for a beginner-friendly sandbar. It’s the standout session. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so get in early.

From Saturday afternoon onward, things fall apart. Sunday the 9th sees the swell drop to 2 ft, and from Monday the 10th all the way through to Thursday the 21st of August, the swell hovers between 1.0 ft and 2 ft. The wave energy stays very low, often well under 100, and wind conditions are mostly cross or onshore, with a few glassy or clean moments but just no push.

There’s a flicker on Friday the 21st of August, when the swell bumps back up to 4 ft from the south with a 12-second period and moderate energy (376), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the NE at 12 mph, and the conditions are still described as poor. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

So, bottom line: if you’re looking for a wave, your window is this Thursday morning through to Saturday morning. Saturday morning is the pick of the bunch with that glassy finish. After that, it’s a long, quiet spell with no real surf on offer until perhaps the end of the third week.

Rusty.

Read more