Hanamizu River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a real mixed bag for the region. We’re looking at a long, quiet spell before things potentially fire up, but even then, it's not straightforward.

For the first week, it’s a write-off. From now until the end of July, and right through the first few days of August, there’s barely a ripple. We're talking tiny, weak swell with poor surf conditions day after day. The few moments of glassy conditions on July 28th and August 1st are just cruel teases – there's no size to go with them. You’re looking at a solid 8-day gap with absolutely nothing worthwhile to paddle out for.

Things start to stir around August 3rd. There is a pulse of energy coming in from the SE, with the combined energy climbing up, but it's still too small and messy. The real change is from August 4th onwards. The swell height slowly builds, and the period stretches out to a very long 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. Combined energy jumps up on the Tuesday morning, a sign the ocean is waking up.

Now, for the standout, and this is the one to circle on the calendar. Thursday, August 6th, on the morning at Hanamizu River, things really line up. We’ve got a solid 5ft groundswell from the SE, with a period of 16 seconds – that's a lot of energy pushing in. The wind is from the NNE at 19 mph, which blows cross-offshore and keeps the waves clean. It’s a sandbar setup, so that long period swell should wrap in and offer some proper, lined-up walls. This is a standout morning, but be warned: 5ft is getting into intermediate territory, and the longer-period swell will make the sets more powerful. Beginners should be cautious. The following morning, Friday August 7th, sees *more* size – 10ft from the SE – but that’s entering expert-only territory. Wind is still clean and cross-off, but that wave height is serious business.

The very end of the run on August 8th and 9th sees the swell absolutely max out. We’re looking at 13ft on the Saturday morning, with absolutely massive energy. That’s huge, and reports say it's predicted to be too big for this break. While the wind is moderate and cross-off, this is not a session for your average weekend warrior.

So here's the call: The best on offer is the Thursday morning (August 6th) at Hanamizu River. It’s the perfect height for decent waves without it being a washing machine for a competent surfer. Get it while it’s clean.

Signing off,
Rusty.

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