Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s be real – the surf is flat out there. We’ve got one spot on the map, Kawaihae Breakwater, and it’s going to be a test of patience for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a whole bunch of nothing for a while.

Early on, we’re talking knee-high dribble at best. The wave energy is weak, with combined energy readings only in the 30s and 70s range. The swell is from the SW, with a long period of 14 to 15 seconds, but there’s just no size. Friday the 11th has a tiny 1ft wave with a decent period, but it’s not going to get the heart pumping. The wind is light and sometimes glassy, so it’ll be clean, but it’s still just a wavelet.

This weekend is even smaller, dropping to 0.7ft on Sunday. The energy is down in the 30s. You’re better off buying a new board than paddling out for that. The water temp is 82°, which is about 2° warmer than usual – not a big deal, just a little warm for the season. The first thing that gets a pulse going is Tuesday the 15th morning, when the energy jumps to 106, the first three-digit number we see. The swell is still only 1ft, but that long 20-second period gives it some push. It’s a groundswell, but at this size, it’s still gutless. The glassy conditions early will make it look pretty, but it’s still just a knee-slapper.

By Wednesday afternoon the 16th, we get the biggest reading of the whole run – a whole 2ft with an 18-second period and energy up to 155. The offshore NE wind is a gentle 9 mph, so it’ll be clean with a bit of punch. This is the best it gets, and honestly, the take-off zone at a breakwater reef like this might have a little shape on it. But it's still not what anyone would call a good day.

From there, it’s a slow grind. The energy goes up and down, but never really gets anywhere. The 18th has a couple of mornings with 108 energy and glassy conditions, still at 1ft to 2ft, but the period drops to 17 seconds. There’s a mention of a risk of thunderstorms on the afternoon of the 18th, but the wind goes calm, so if you’re desperate, that might be a window for some clean, albeit tiny, waves.

For the last stretch from the 20th on, it fades again. We’re back to 0.7ft to 1ft with weak energy, mostly in the 30s to 60s. There’s a little blip on the 26th with a 1ft W swell and 93 energy, but it’s nothing to write home about. The consistency is only “fairly consistent” at best, and at this size, that just means there are tiny waves, not that there are good ones.

So, the bottom line: if you absolutely have to get wet, the afternoon of Wednesday the 16th or the morning of Thursday the 18th are the least-bad options, but they’re not standouts. Just small, clean, long-period swells at a reef break. Any bigger swell over 8ft would be experts-only, but we are nowhere near that. This is a time to work on your tan or go for a swim, but not to expect any glory. Forecasts can change, but this looks like a flat spell for the books.

Rusty

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