Honokohau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for Honokohau over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you, it's a tough start. For the first ten days, from Thursday the 16th right through to Saturday the 26th of July, the conditions are just plain ugly. We're looking at a solid run of cross-shore winds, mostly from the ENE at 12 to 19 mph, which is just tearing up the surface. The swell is hanging around, but with that wind, it's all lumpy chop and no real shape. The wave energy is moderate, getting up to around 455 (combined energy) on the 18th, but it's messy. That's a big gap of poor conditions, over a week and a half of nothing to get excited about for a paddle surfer.

Now, the real story starts to unfold later on. Sunday the 26th of July marks a shift, but it's still just *marginal*. The wind stays cross, but the swell period starts to get long. On the 26th, we get a 5ft to 5ft swell from the east with a very long period of 16 to 17 seconds. The energy jumps way up – we're talking 1811 to 1857 (combined energy). That's a lot of power in the water, but with that cross-shore wind, it's still a bit of a gamble. This is a long-period groundswell, which means it'll wrap in and offer some nice lines at a point break like Honokohau, but that offshore wind direction is supposed to be from the north for the optimum. This is coming from the east, so it's not a perfect match.

The real standout, the one that has my heart racing a little, is the following week. Monday the 27th of July sees the wind start to ease, with a NE breeze around 9 to 12 mph. The swell holds at 5ft to 6ft from the east, still with that super long 15-second period. The energy is strong, clocking in at 2254 (combined energy) on Monday afternoon. But hold on to your board.

Tuesday the 28th of July is where it gets proper. The wind drops right back to a gentle 9 mph from the NE, and the swell builds to a solid 12ft. That's big, folks. That's expert territory. The energy is massive – 3902 (combined energy). The direction is coming from the ENE, which is still not the perfect north, but with that much power and a 13 to 14-second period, Honokohau is going to be absolutely pumping. The water is a warm 79°, which is about normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thick rubber at home.

If you're a strong surfer, the true standout is Wednesday the 29th of July. It's almost a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it, but the models are showing a peak. We're looking at a 13ft swell from the NE, with a 12 to 13-second period. The wave energy is monstrous at 4764 (combined energy). The wind is light and variable at 9 to 12 mph, making for some of the cleanest conditions in the whole run. That big, powerful groundswell with a favorable NE direction at a reef and point setup like Honokohau (Big Island) is going to be a sight to behold. It's a serious, serious swell, so only for the experienced, and crowds are a real possibility as it's an "often" spot.

So, to sum it up: the first ten days are a total write-off. The real action is from the 27th of July onwards, with the 29th being the absolute best bet for a big, powerful, and clean session. Mark your calendars.

Rusty.

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