Hanamizu River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what we've got.

Right off the bat, the surf is not showing up for a few days. We've got a bit of a slow start, with the first real chance to get wet not coming until Monday afternoon, July 6th, but even then, it's pretty ordinary. The best bet around here is the Hanamizu River, a beach/sandbar setup that's fairly consistent and a good spot for beginners.

The water temp is sitting at about 75°, which is a touch cooler than usual for this time of year, but nothing crazy.

Monday, July 6th is a write-off. The morning has small 3ft swell from the SE with a short 7-second period, and a light cross-onshore breeze. The energy is weak (176), and the conditions are just poor. The afternoon goes glassy, but the swell drops to 3ft. It's surfable, but just barely.

Tuesday, July 7th is where things start to look up. The morning is the standout of the whole run. We've got a clean 2ft swell from the SSE, but the period jumps to a very long 15 seconds. That's a proper groundswell, and the energy is moderate (279). The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE, which will keep the face clean. This is a river mouth, so that long period groundswell should wrap in nicely. For a beginner-friendly spot, this is about as good as it gets in this window. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 3ft, but the wind shifts to a cross-shore, making it a bit more ordinary.

Wednesday, July 8th sees the swell building. The morning has 5ft from the SSE, with a 17-second period. The energy is getting strong (1532). That's a lot of water moving. The wind is a light cross-onshore, which isn't ideal, but the swell is there. The afternoon pushes to 6ft with a 16-second period, and the energy is even stronger (2432). The wind stays cross-onshore. This is getting into the "too big for beginners" territory, and the cross-onshore chop will make it a bit of a battle.

Thursday, July 9th through Saturday, July 11th has a solid run of swell. The mornings will see chest to head-high waves, around 6ft to 7ft, with a 15 to 17-second period from the S and SSW. The energy is strong to very strong, hitting 2635 on Saturday morning. The problem is the wind. It's a persistent cross-onshore breeze from the S and SE, 6-12 mph, which will keep the surface choppy and messy. The afternoon winds pick up even more. This is a lot of power, but the quality is going to be frustrating. The swell is big enough (over 7ft) that it's really only for experienced surfers, and the chop makes it a tough paddle.

Sunday, July 12th things start to drop. The swell is down to 5ft in the morning, but the wind is still a problem. The afternoon gets choppy and drops to 4ft.

From Monday, July 13th all the way through Tuesday, July 22nd, the outlook is pretty grim. The swell drops below 3ft, the period shortens, and the wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore. The energy values are all under 200, and most days are rated as "poor surf conditions." The only blips are a few glassy mornings on the 18th and 21st, but with tiny waves at 1.0ft to 2ft, there's just nothing to ride.

So, the honest truth is, this is a poor 16-day window for Hanamizu River. If you're desperate, get in the water on Tuesday morning, July 7th, for the cleanest, most fun waves for a beginner. The bigger swell days from the 8th to the 11th have the power, but the wind is going to trash them. After that, it's a flat spell. It's a blank run, and that's just how it goes sometimes around here. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is a tough one.

Stay salty.
Rusty

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