Ikumi Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks for this stretch of coast.

The short version is that the next few days are going to be a bit of a write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly short-period windswell, and a lot of it is coming from the wrong direction. You won't be missing anything until late next week if you have other things to do. But hold on to your board shorts, because the middle of next week is looking like something special.

Right now, Tuesday the 18th, it's stormy, onshore, and the swell is a weak 3ft at 5 seconds. The energy reading is poor (86), and it’s just messy. Wednesday the 19th is more of the same – small, onshore, and not worth the paddle. We finally see a bit of glass on Thursday morning the 20th, but the swell is gone – down to 1ft with weak energy (66). You might get a knee-high slop fest, but it’s not what I’d call a surf. Friday morning the 21st starts to show a pulse of energy (202), but still only 3ft and a bit inconsistent. Glassy, which is nice, but just not enough juice. That period through to Sunday the 23rd stays pretty weak, with the swell dropping to 2ft and energy slipping back down to the low 100s. It's flat-ish.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The swell really starts to fill in on Monday the 24th. There’s a big jump in the energy reading (731) that morning, and that long-period SE groundswell at 16 seconds starts to show. Even though it’s only 3ft at first, that long period means there’s some proper power behind it. The wind is light and glassy, which is ideal. This is the start of the good stuff. Monday afternoon it jumps to 5ft and the energy is pumping (1381). This is the one to watch.

From Tuesday the 25th, just be careful. The swell is not only getting bigger, it’s getting too big for this spot. We're looking at 8ft on Tuesday morning with energy reading over 3700, and by Tuesday afternoon it’s 10ft (4093). This is clean and big, but it’s not for the faint of heart. This size is getting into the expert zone. The energy keeps climbing all week – Wednesday the 26th sees 10-13ft (8004), and by Thursday the 27th it’s 15ft (9356). This is a serious, powerful groundswell. The wind is going to be a factor on the 27th, with some cross-shore breeze, but it’s still big.

There is a brief cleanup on Friday the 28th when the wind drops to calm and glassy early, but the swell is a solid 13ft (5854). This is only for the most experienced. It stays in that 8ft to 10ft range over the weekend and into Monday the 31st. The wind turns offshore on the Monday morning and the wave comment says it's excellent for experienced surfers. That’s your window if you have the skills and the courage. By Tuesday the 1st of September, it’s still overhead at 7ft with excellent conditions and offshore winds, but it's still a solid, committed size.

So, the standout here is clearly Monday the 24th. As the new swell starts to build in the morning, it will be the best combo of size, power, and clean conditions before it gets too unruly. The other one is the morning of Monday the 31st, when the swell drops back to a still-chunky 8ft, but the conditions are glassy and the wind is offshore. That’s a proper session.

Remember, this is Ikumi Beach, an exposed beach break. It’s rated for beginners when it’s small, but with the size on the cards from August 25th, it gets heavy and way out of that league. The long periods (15-17 seconds) are great for power and shape, but at a beach break like this, they can make the waves break a bit too straight, so be ready for that. Also, the water temp is a normal 83°, so no worries there.

The wind and tide on a couple of those big days look favorable, which is why the call is for it to be too big, not just messy. For the average punter, this is a kite-surfing sort of swell mid-week. For the brave, there are some epic, giant waves to be had. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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