Honokohau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Honokohau.

Right now, and for the next couple of weeks, the wind is the main story, and it’s not a good one. We’ve got a solid, persistent ENE breeze blowing almost constantly, and it’s coming in cross or cross-off. That means the surface is going to be lumpy, chopped up, and generally messy for paddle surfing. The swell is hanging around in the 5 to 7 ft range for the first week or so, coming from the east with a short, weak period of just 7 to 8 seconds. The wave energy is moderate at best. Honestly, the first several days are a write-off for any quality surfing.

That run of poor conditions stretches right through the end of August and well into the first week of September. You’re looking at day after day of the same story: cross-shore winds, lumpy surf, and not much to get excited about.

Now, the standout in the whole forecast is the morning of Friday, September 11th. The wind finally eases right back to a light breeze, swinging cross-off, and the swell is a solid 8 ft from the east. That’s a proper groundswell with an 8-second period, and the energy is strong. The afternoon gets even better: wind goes offshore from the SSE, gentle breeze, and the wave state is clean. That is the window. Honokohau will have clean, powerful, lined-up waves. It’s a reef and point break, so it handles that east swell well. The water temperature is about 80°, which is pretty much spot on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The day before, Thursday the 10th, is still looking bumpy but the wind starts to ease, so it might be worth a look if you’re keen.

After that Saturday the 12th, the swell starts to drop back under 6 ft, and the wind starts to mess things up again. The 13th is back to cross-shore breeze and smaller, weaker surf.

So, the long and short of it: this is a two-week block with a whole lot of frustration, but one very sweet, clean day on September 11th. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The rest of it is mostly for the kite crew, unless you just want a paddle and don’t mind the chop.

Rusty.

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