Hapuna Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m looking at the outlook for Hapuna over the next couple of weeks and I gotta be straight with you – it’s pretty grim. There’s a long stretch of nothing much happening, and honestly, there’s no standout session worth getting excited about. The whole 16-day window is basically a bust for decent surf.

From Wednesday the 26th of August right through to early September, the swell is tiny – we’re talking 0.7 ft to 1.0 ft from the SSW or W, with periods all over the place but mostly short. The combined energy of all swells directed here is weak, usually under 50, sometimes as low as 9 or 8. That’s just not enough to push a decent wave. The wind is mostly cross-off or light, so the surface is clean, but with no swell, it’s a lake. The water temperature is 82°F with a 2°F anomaly – a touch warmer than normal, which is nice for a paddle, but not for surfing.

There’s a gap of several days with no surf at all – the energy drops to zero on some afternoons. Even when the swell picks up a little around the 10th of September, we get a 2 ft from the WNW with a 14-second period and combined energy hitting 152 – that’s moderate energy, finally. The wind is offshore from the ENE at 25 mph, which is strong offshore and clean, but it’s near gale force on the morning and hard to paddle into. That Thursday afternoon might be the only window where the shape is okay, but it’s still small and only for the keenest.

Hapuna is a sandbar break, fairly exposed, best with swell from the west. The optimum direction is west, but the swell we get is mostly SSW or cross. The crowds are “sometimes” an issue, but with surf this small, it won’t be. The break is fairly consistent, but the swell just isn’t there.

So, bottom line: no good surf options in this 16-day window. The forecast can change, and it’s a fairly consistent area, so it won’t stay poor forever, but for now, leave the board at home.

Rusty

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