Honokohau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break this down for the next couple of weeks. It’s a tough stretch, I won't sugarcoat it. The first real chance of a wave doesn’t come until July 3rd, and even then, we’re looking at a pretty grim run until mid-month.

So, starting Friday, July 3rd, we’ve got Honokohau (Big Island) seeing a consistent 6 ft of swell from the ENE, but with a short, weak period of just 8 seconds. The wind is a fresh cross-shore from the ENE at 16 mph, which is just chopping everything up. The combined energy is moderate, around 365 to 473, but the wave comment says it all: “poor surf conditions.” This pattern just locks in. Day after day, we get the same story – Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday... it’s all cross-shore wind, lumpy cross-chop, and short-period, weak energy. The swell sits between 5 ft and 7 ft, which for the bigger days (over 5 ft) is already pushing past what beginners want. On the 6th and 7th of July, the swell hits 7 ft to 7 ft, and that’s really only for the experienced crew, but the wind is just ruining it.

Now, there are a few mornings that stand out as “clean” – July 7th Tuesday morning, July 9th Thursday morning, July 13th Monday morning, and July 15th Wednesday morning. On those days, the wind shifts to a cross-offshore, and the wave state is described as clean. On July 7th, the swell is 7 ft from the ENE, short 8-second period, with moderate energy at 454. On July 9th, it’s a similar 7 ft with a shorter 7-second period and 376 energy. July 13th gives us 6 ft from the ENE with 7 seconds and 421 energy. And July 15th, we get 5 ft from the E with 7 seconds and 369 energy. These are the only moments in this whole 16-day window that look even remotely surfable. But honestly, none of them are standouts. The swell direction from the ENE or E is not the optimum N direction that Honokohau really wants, and the period is too short to build any proper shape.

After July 15th, things drop right off. The swell fades to under 5 ft, and by July 17th Friday afternoon, the energy collapses to just 72, with a tiny 1 ft from the WNW but a very long 14-second period. That long period groundswell is promising in theory, but it’s barely a ripple. By July 18th Saturday morning, it’s even smaller at 1 ft, 13-second period, and only 83 energy, though the wind is finally a moderate cross-offshore. Too little, too late.

So, the honest truth? There are no good surf options in this 16-day window. For Honokohau, a blank run like this is more normal than you’d hope. It’s a consistent break on its day, but the forecast just isn’t giving us the right combination. Keep an eye on it – forecasts can change, and it rarely stays this poor for long, but currently, I’d say leave the board in the car and maybe go for a snorkel instead.

Rusty.

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