Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s cookin’ for Kawaihae Breakwater out on the Big Island over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell of poor surf before things even get close to interesting.

For the first week and a half, from Thursday the 13th all the way through to Monday the 24th of August, it’s pretty much a no-go. The swell is tiny, barely scraping 1ft to 1ft most days, and the combined wave energy is weak, sitting in the 20s and 30s (like 25, 40, or 53). It’s just not worth paddling out for. The wind does offer some clean, offshore moments – especially the glassy conditions on the 16th, 19th, and 21st – but there’s simply no push behind the waves. The water temp is sitting at a balmy 81°F with an anomaly of 1°F, so pretty average for this time of year, but you’ll be bobbing around more than surfing.

There’s a slight flicker of life around Wednesday the 19th afternoon, where that combined energy finally climbs to 90 and the comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s about the best you’re gonna get in this first stretch – a 1ft W swell with period around 12 seconds, and clean wind from the NE. It’s small but maybe just enough for a longboard if you’re desperate.

Now, the real standout – and I mean the *only* one worth circling on your calendar – is towards the very end of the run. Starting Wednesday the 26th and carrying through to Friday the 28th of August, we finally see a tiny pulse. Swell bumps up to 2ft from the W, with periods of 13 to 14 seconds (a bit of long-period groundswell). The combined energy finally breaks into the 80s and 90s (like 81, 93, and 92). That’s still weak, but it’s the strongest we see. On Friday morning the 28th, we’ve got glassy conditions, a 2ft W swell, and that moderate energy. It’ll be small, clean, and you’ll have to work for it, but for a reef break that’s fairly consistent, it’s the best on offer. Keep in mind the swell direction is W, which matches that optimum direction for Kawaihae Breakwater. Crowds are possible here on occasion, so you might have some company.

To be honest, this is a lean period. If you’re a beginner, the swell never gets over 5ft so it’s not too big, but it’s so tiny it’s barely rideable. For the experts, there’s nothing here to get excited about either. The setup with the persistent offshore trades and small, weak swell might look more interesting for a kite than a paddle on most of these days, especially through the middle of the window.

Hang in there, the forecasts can always change. But for now, target that final Thursday and Friday.

Rusty.

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