Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the immediate outlook is a bit of a quiet one. We’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak swell that’s just not gonna do much for a paddle surfer. From now through to the first week of September, it’s all small, poor-condition waves. The combined energy is mostly in the single digits or low double digits (31, 25, 38) – that’s weak energy, mate. The swell height is hanging around 0.7ft to 1.0ft, with a long period (13 to 17 seconds) from the SSW, but there’s just no power behind it. The winds are looking good – mostly offshore from the NE or light and glassy – so the water will be clean, but you can’t ride what isn’t there. The water temperature is 82°F with a positive anomaly of 2°F, so it’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

We’ve got a bit of a gap through the middle of the first week of September, with a few days showing zero swell energy. Then, around the 7th of September, we start to see a little bump. By Monday the 8th of September, things get a bit more interesting. The combined swell energy jumps to 181 (moderate energy) with a 3ft swell from the WSW, period of 13 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which is a good sign for shape, but it’s still small. The wind goes glassy in the afternoon, so that’s a major positive for clean conditions.

The only spot on the radar is Kawaihae Breakwater. It’s a reef break, fairly consistent, and it’s exposed to the W swell which is what we’re getting. It’s an intermediate-level wave, and crowds are possible here. The standout window is the afternoon of Monday, 8th September. The swell is 3ft from the WSW, the wind is glassy, and that’s the best we’ve got. It’s not a big day, but it’s the one to keep an eye on. For the rest of the period, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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