Kahului Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The only game in town for the next couple of weeks is Kahului Harbor, a reef setup that takes a keen eye. It's an advanced wave, so don't come here on a foamboards unless you know what you're doing.

The water is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The good news? There is a bit of a wait for the really good stuff, but the first few days are a tease. Thursday morning the 20th kicks off with a tiny 3 ft swell from the NE at a short 7 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-onshore. Not worth paddling out for. However, Thursday afternoon goes glassy with a clean 3 ft NE swell. It’s small, but that glassy wind is a beautiful thing – you’ll get a few little fun ones if you’re desperate for a paddle.

Friday the 21st morning cleans up with a light offshore ESE breeze and a 2 ft ENE swell. It’s tiny, but clean. Friday afternoon goes to crap with a strong 12 mph crosswind and a bumpy 5 ft swell. That pattern sticks around for days. From Saturday the 22nd right through to the end of August, it’s a write-off. The wind is cranking from the ENE at 12 to 16 mph, delivering a messy cross-shore chop. The swell builds to 5 ft and then 6 ft, but the wind shreds any chance of a decent wave. The combined energy jumps from weak up to moderate, but it’s all just messy, blown-out conditions. Not worth a look.

The first week of September doesn't look much better. Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September are a no-go with rain showers and fresh cross-onshore winds blowing 7 ft of lumpy swell. The combined energy gets strong, hitting high numbers, but it's a washing machine out there.

Now, we have to look ahead to the true standout. Mark your calendar for Thursday, September 4th. This is the one. The morning brings a clean 5 ft swell from the ENE with a 9 second period, and the wind goes glassy from the NW. Glassy, clean, and the energy is solid – this is the best on offer by a long shot. The afternoon holds the same glassy wind and a slightly smaller 5 ft swell. For a reef break, that's a great size for an advanced surfer, and the conditions will be beautiful. Get out there early.

There is a sliver of hope on the 3rd of September with a 7 ft ENE swell and a light offshore wind, but it’s marginal and the wind is variable. The 4th is the real gem.

Remember, Kahului Harbor is an exposed spot, and it's a reef, so treat it with respect. The swell direction is ENE, which is not the optimum NNE direction for this spot, but when the wind is glassy, it doesn't matter as much.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a right-off with onshore wind. The second week offers a clean, glassy window on the 4th of September. That's your window.

Rusty

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