Honkeys Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get stuck into it.

The next couple of weeks look pretty average overall, to be honest. There’s some swell coming, but the wind is going to mess things up for most of the run. We’re looking at a lot of onshore and cross-onshore conditions, which will keep things a bit messy. But there are a couple of windows where it cleans up, so don’t write it off completely.

The first week is a write-off. From the 22nd through to the 25th, we’ve got small, weak surf, mostly around 2 to 3 feet, with a consistent onshore breeze. It’s just not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate for a splash around. The water temp is 84.2°, which is about normal for this time of year, so that’s a small positive.

Into the 26th, we see a pulse of longer-period swell from the southwest. The morning is still onshore, but the afternoon becomes marginal. It’s not great, but it’s a start. However, the real change comes on the 27th. There’s a solid jump in energy, with the combined swell energy kicking into four digits, 1205 for the morning session. Wave heights reach 5 feet, still from the SSW, with a 16 second period. The wind is still onshore though, which is holding it back. It stays marginal with the energy dropping a bit on the 28th.

The 29th is poor, with a bump in swell energy in the afternoon (863), but the wind is onshore again. Then we get a bigger push. On the 30th of August, the swell builds significantly. We’re looking at 6 feet in the morning and 7 feet in the afternoon, with massive energy readings of 2391 and 3199. There’s a risk of thunderstorms, and the wind is still onshore, so while there’s size, the quality is poor. This is a case of too much wind and chop ruining what could have been a great day.

This bigger swell holds through the 31st of August, with 6 feet and energy in the 4000s. It’s a lot of water moving, but again, the wind is cross-on and it’s going to be ugly. At this size, with that wind, it’s going to be a washing machine. This setup is more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers.

After that, it drops off again through the 1st and 2nd of September. Not much happening.

Now, here’s the thing. The forecast for the 5th and 6th of September is where the light shines. The swell drops to a manageable 4 to 4.5 feet, but better yet, the wind finally dies. On the afternoon of the 5th it goes glassy, and on the morning of the 6th it’s completely calm with a light variable wind. The combined energy is still around 450, so it’s moderate, but the conditions will be clean. This is when Honkeys will actually be good. The swell direction is SSE, and this spot loves a south swell, so the waves will have some shape and push to them. This is your standout window. It’s a reef break, fairly consistent, and while the swell won’t be huge, the clean conditions will make it infinitely better than anything earlier. Look at the later part of the 5th and the best of the 6th. That’s where the magic will be.

So, get through the messy first week, wait for that early September window, and you’ll get some clean ones.

Later.

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