Hilton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Hilton. It’s a reef break, exposed to the west-southwest, so it needs that west-northwest swell to get going. But mate, we’ve got a long, flat spell ahead for the next week and a half. There’s just nothing happening. Tiny, weak, short-period waves, mostly chopped up by afternoon northwest winds. A few glassy mornings, but the swell is just too small to do anything with. The water’s a warm 30°, which is more than two degrees above normal for this time of year—you’ll feel that, like a warm bath.

From the 14th through the 24th, we’re looking at swell heights under three feet, with periods of 5 to 7 seconds. The wave energy is weak—single digits to the 20s and 30s, with a few 40s and 50s. Not breaking, and when it does, it’s gutless. The wind is mostly cross-on or cross, which doesn’t help. A couple of clean, glassy mornings—like the 16th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 21st, and 23rd—offer a bit of hope, but the waves are just too small. You’re looking at knee-high slop at best. Not worth paddling out, even for a beginner.

Now, things start to change on the 26th. There’s a pulse of swell—still small, but with a bit more push. The morning of the 26th sees 1.2m (about 4 feet) of west-northwest swell, period 7 seconds, with light cross-off winds from the east-northeast. It’s clean, but it’s still weak, with combined energy around 124. It’s surfable, but you’ll be working for every little wave. The 27th morning, under some clouds, is glassy with a 1.0m (about 3 feet) west-northwest swell, period 8 seconds, energy at 123. Again, clean, but not going to blow your mind.

The best bet in this whole window looks like the 29th. Tuesday morning, clear skies, dead glass. Swell is 1.2m (about 4 feet) from the north, period 6 seconds, combined energy at 89. It’s the biggest swell of the period, but the period is short. That’s a bit of a bummer—short period means weaker, more crumbly waves. It’s still the standout, but it won’t be a classic. The morning will be clean, so it’s your best chance to grab a few fun ones at Hilton, but don’t expect much over waist-high.

There’s a real gap in quality here. For a solid week and a half, there’s essentially nothing. The longer-period swells aren’t really present, so the reef isn’t working its magic. It’s a stretch of flatness that’s pretty normal for this area at this time of year. But keep an eye on those last few mornings—especially the 29th—because that’s where the spark is.

So, bottom line: don’t bother waxing up for the first ten days. If you’re keen, the morning of the 26th, 27th, and especially the 29th offer small, clean, surfable waves. Not epic, not huge, just something to get you wet. It’s been flat, but it looks like it might finally turn.

Rusty out.

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