Honokohau Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about the surf at Honokohau Harbour. This is a reef break on the Big Island, and it’s got that consistent nature, but we’ve got a tough outlook here. Right now, we’re looking at a long dry spell with very little to get excited about for the next 16 days.

The water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is about a degree warmer than usual for this time of year – it feels nice on the skin, but that’s about the only warmth in this forecast.

Things start off quiet. Sunday the 9th has tiny waves – 1ft to 2ft from the SSW – with a very long 18-second period early on, but the conditions are just plain poor. The afternoon glass-off is there, with that 5 km/h WSW breeze going glassy, but the swell is just too weak to bother with. The combined energy is only 131 in the afternoon, and that’s the best it gets for a while.

We roll through Monday the 10th all the way to Thursday the 15th with nothing but marginal or poor surf. The swell sits between 2ft and 3ft, but it’s plagued by cross-onshore winds, short periods, and poor conditions. The energy stays low, between 66 and 383. This is a real lull. Saturday the 15th afternoon shows a little pulse – 4ft from the NNE with a 6-second period, glassy winds, and combined energy of 107. It’s “surfable but ordinary.” That’s the closest we get to a standout, but honestly, it’s not saying much.

Then we hit a massive gap. From Sunday the 16th through Wednesday the 20th morning, it’s all poor. Zero to 2ft swell, mostly onshore or strong cross-onshore winds, and energy levels dropping to near zero. This is a dead period. There are days with zero swell altogether, like the 16th and 17th, so you’re looking at flatness.

Things try to wake up a little from Thursday the 20th afternoon through Saturday the 22nd morning. We see a consistent 2ft to 2ft SSW/SW groundswell with a 16 to 18-second period, and winds go light and onshore from the W or WSW. The energy climbs back into the 300s. It’s still marginal at best, but the long period (over 15 seconds) suggests some energy and shape, especially at a reef break like this one. The caveat is that long-period SSW swell here can be a bit straight at times, but for a patient surfer, these windows offer the only real chance. None of this is a true standout; it’s just the best of a quiet stretch.

The final few days, the 23rd and 24th, fade back into poor conditions with tiny swell and cross-onshore winds.

If you’re looking for the best on offer, I’d say Saturday the 15th afternoon has the glassy conditions and that 4ft NNE swell, but it’s short period. The other slight glimmer is Thursday the 20th afternoon to Saturday the 22nd morning with the long-period SSW groundswell and light winds. Still, with crowds sometimes at this spot, don’t expect an empty lineup if a few waves show. This setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing through most of the stretch, given the poor quality and wind conditions.

Overall, it’s a tough two weeks. Keep your eye on that late August window, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty

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