Honokohau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at this forecast for way too long. Let’s cut to the chase.

The next week and a half is a total write-off. We’re talking lumpy, cross-shore junk from the 25th of August right through to the 5th of September. The first real flicker of hope doesn’t pop up until the 6th of September.

Our only spot on the radar is Honokohau, a reef and point break that’s usually reliable. Water temp is 81°, which is pretty normal for the season.

From Tuesday the 25th of August all the way through to Saturday the 5th of September, it’s a brutal stretch. The wind is blowing hard from the ENE at 15 to 25 mph, and it’s stuck cross-shore, creating a nasty, lumpy mess. Swell heights are between 1 ft and 7 ft, but with short periods of 7 to 8 seconds, there’s no power behind it. The combined swell energy is weak to moderate, ranging from 36 to 725 (moderate wave energy), but it’s all junk. A few days it drops to a paltry 36 (weak wave energy). The wind is just too strong to make anything of it.

Now, here’s the one window that might work. On the morning of Sunday the 6th of September, the wind eases to a fresh 22 mph from the E, and it turns slightly cross-offshore. The swell is 6 ft, but the period jumps to 12 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell, meaning way better shape and more punch. The combined energy is a strong 995 (strong wave energy). It’s only a marginal call, but that clean wind and long period make it the best bet of the whole forecast. Honokohau can get crowded, so be ready for company.

The next day, Monday the 7th of September afternoon, also shows a brief window of cross-offshore wind and a 6 ft swell from the ENE with a period of 10 seconds, and clean conditions. The energy is 738 (moderate wave energy). It’s another marginal option if you miss the Sunday.

For the rest of the second week, from the 8th to the 9th of September, the wind drops to about 9 mph, but it’s still cross-shore, and the swell period is around 9 seconds. The surf quality remains poor. The combined energy is strong, between 488 and 754 (moderate to strong wave energy), but the wind angle kills it.

Bottom line: the only real standout is that Sunday morning, the 6th of September. It’s not a perfect day, but it’s the only time we get clean, long-period groundswell. The rest is a blown-out mess. Keep your expectations low, and your eyes on that date.

Rusty.

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