Haubush Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day surfers, Rusty here.

Let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper surf. We’ve got Haubush (Big Island) as the only spot on the map, and to be honest, it’s a struggle for most of the window. The first week is basically a write-off. We’re talking about a lot of onshore and cross-shore winds, lumpy mess, and a forecast that just doesn't deliver any quality. The swell energy is there, but it’s mostly short-period windslop, not the clean groundswell we want. It’s a good time to get other things sorted.

Looking at the first few days from Tuesday the 15th through to the 20th, it’s marginal at best. We have some waist-high swell around 3 to 3 feet, coming from the SSW, but the wind is mostly a moderate to fresh cross-shore breeze, which is just chopping it all up. The combined swell energy sits in the moderate range, like 532 to 961, but it’s not doing us any favors. The water temp is 81°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no worries there. But the surf is just poor. The period is around 16-20 seconds, which is a long-period groundswell, but with that wind, it doesn’t matter. It’s breaking all over the place. The conditions are not worth your time.

Then we get to Thursday the 17th, and the swell bumps up a bit but from the wrong direction – ENE with a period of only 9-10 seconds. The size is around 5 feet, so it's got a bit of push, but it’s a short-period, wind-driven mess. The wind is fresh and cross, making it lumpy and messy. This looks way more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The combined swell energy is over 1000, which is strong, but it's just not surfable. It's not clean, it's not organized, and it's not breaking well.

From the 19th through to the 24th, it’s more of the same. The swell drops back to that 3 to 3 feet range, but the wind stays fresh and cross-shore. The forecast is full of “poor surf conditions” and the swell direction is all over the place. There is no standout period here. It’s just a series of small, choppy, and disappointing days. The 22nd sees the swell bump again to 6 to 6 feet from the E, but with a short 8-9 second period and a strong cross-shore wind, it’s a complete mess. High energy, poor quality. It’s all for the kites again.

The one glimmer in this whole 16-day stretch: Tuesday the 29th of September, in the afternoon. The wind finally dies right off. We’ve got glassy conditions, with a slight air, and the swell is a small 3 feet from the SSW with a long 16-second period. The combined energy is 368, which is on the weaker side, but for a spot like Haubush, which is a reef break and can be inconsistent, this is your window. It’s a reef, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely. This is the only time I’d be paddling out. It's not going to be big, but it'll be clean. The following morning, Wednesday the 30th, the wind is back, so it's a one-window deal.

The rest of the period is more of the same – small, messy, and with fresh winds. There are long gaps of several days where there's no recommendation at all. The second week looks even more lackluster. Haubush is a fairly consistent break, so this kind of a blank run is a bit of a letdown, but with the winds being what they are, we just have to wait for it to pass. Keep your hopes up for that Tuesday afternoon. It’s the only time this setup looks like it’s going to offer anything clean.

Rusty, out.

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