Honkeys Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks. The water temp is sitting at a warm 85°F and about average for this time of year, so no complaints there. The main thing is, we’ve got a lot of days with a cross-onshore wind which is going to mess with the surface, making things choppy. The waves will mostly be from the south, so Honkeys is the only game in town, and it’s a beginner-friendly reef break. It’s fairly consistent, but the wind direction is the real issue.

Right now, we’ve got a few days of small, wind-affected surf. That early swell on the 25th (Tuesday) is a poor 4ft from the south at 9 seconds, and the wind is straight onshore at 9 mph. Not great. The energy is weak, barely pushing 301 (combined energy). Don’t bother with a paddle this morning or afternoon.

Wednesday the 26th brings a bit of a shift. The morning swell drops to 3ft, but the period jumps to a long 16 seconds, giving a nice groundswell energy of 548 (combined energy). The wind is light from the WSW, 6 mph, still onshore. The forecast calls it marginal, but that longer period means cleaner lines. The afternoon turns for the worse with a risk of thunder and a cross-onshore breeze.

Thursday the 27th morning is where we start to see something. Swell bumps to 5ft from the SSW, period still 16 seconds, and the energy readings are strong at 1208 (combined energy). That’s a big surge of groundswell. Light onshore breeze again, but the wave comment is still marginal. This is a true standout for the period, but it’s still only a teaser because the wind isn’t offshore. Still, 5ft with that length is going to look pretty good on the reef at Honkeys for the experienced crew.

The rest of the first week into the start of September is all about that persistent cross-onshore wind. Friday 28th through to Monday 31st August sees a mix of 4ft to 6ft from the SSW, with that strong 19-20 second period. The energy is huge, peaking at 2301 and 2324 (combined energy), but the wind is a steady cross-onshore from the west at 9-12 mph. It’s going to be lumpy and choppy out there. Not ideal for a clean face.

Tuesday 1st September onwards, the swell drops back to 4ft to 5ft with periods coming down to 11-14 seconds. The wind finally looks cleaner from the SW or WSW, coming straight onshore for the mornings of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of September. There’s a window of lighter wind, 6-9 mph, which might clean it up a bit. The energy is moderate to strong, around 600-1110 (combined energy). The mornings on the 3rd and 4th of September could offer the most rideable surf of the second week, but it’s still not perfect. The afternoon of the 4th sees the swell swing to the SSE with a shorter 10-second period, and the cross-onshore wind returns and kills it.

From the 5th of September onwards, it’s a struggle. The swell is in the 3ft to 5ft range from the SSE, period dropping to 9-10 seconds, and the wind is consistently cross-onshore or worse, with moderate breezes. The energy fades into the 200-300 range (combined energy). It’s going to be small, sloppy, and not worth the effort for a paddle. This stretch of poor surf lasts all the way to the end of the forecast on the 9th. For the beginners, anything over 5ft is a bit much, but the real problem is the wind. The whole setup is more suited to a kite session than a clean surf.

The best bet is the morning of Thursday the 27th of August. It’s the best mix of size and energy, but keep an eye on that wind.

Rusty.

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