Honokohau Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. I’ve been staring at the charts for this stretch, and I’ve got to be straight with you: it’s a rough patch for surf. We’re looking at a long, lean period ahead. The first real surfable window is nearly two weeks out, on Monday the 31st. Before that, we’re dealing with a whole lot of small, weak, and messy conditions that just aren't worth your time or gas money. It’s a long stretch of “poor surf conditions,” so don’t hold your breath.

The spot to have on the radar is Honokohau Harbour (Big Island). Now, normally this reef can be a fun little wave, and the water temp is a normal 82°F, nothing weird there. But for this entire first week and a half, it’s a no-go. The swells are tiny, mostly between 1ft and 2ft, with periods in the 10-13 second range, and the energy is weak. We’re looking at combined swell energies mostly in the 60-290 range, which is just... nothing.

There’s a brief moment on Sunday the 23rd afternoon when the wind goes glassy and a 3ft NNE swell shows up with a 6-second period, but that short period means it’s just mess, and the energy is still only 138. It’s the definition of “ordinary.” Kite surfers might get a kick out of it, but for us paddle surfers, it’s a pass.

The south-ish winds are a persistent annoyance, keeping things cross-onshore or onshore. Lots of “light cross-onshore with small wind ripples” is what we’re seeing, which chops up the surface and ruins any chance of a clean ride. There’s a small push of energy mid-week around Tuesday the 25th (349-511 energy), but the size and winds are still junk, so it’s still not surfable.

Then, things start to get interesting. On Sunday, August 31st, a proper swell starts to build. Monday morning shows a solid 7ft SSW swell with a useful 11-second period, and the energy jumps to 1284. The winds are light and on, but it’s still listed as marginal.

The standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is the afternoon of Monday, August 31st. The wind goes completely glassy, and we get a 6ft SSW swell with a good 11-second period. The combined wave energy surges to a strong 1489, and the forecast is calling for “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is the one shining light in the whole window. Honokohau Harbour is fairly exposed to the WNW, but this SSW swell will be wrapping in nicely. That glassy wind will make it absolutely clean. For a solid, experienced surfer, this is your session. It won’t be a beginner wave at that size, but for the crew who knows what they’re doing, it’s going to be worth the wait.

After that, the swell drops back down. Tuesday and Wednesday back to the small stuff, though the Wednesday morning looks like it could have clean-ish 4ft waves. But by then, we’re just watching the back end of the swell. That Monday afternoon is the call. Don't waste your energy on the rest of it. This blank run has been brutal, but that one window shows this place can still fire. It’s a promising sign. But keep in mind, at this range, forecasts can change, so let's keep our fingers crossed.

Talk soon,
Rusty

Read more