Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s coming down the pipe at Kawaihae Breakwater over this 16-day stretch.

The story here is a pretty quiet one. We’ve got a window of tiny, rideable but unremarkable surf early on, then it flat-lines for a solid stretch, before a little glassy flurry tries to lift things in September. Let’s break it down.

Kicking off on Thursday the 20th, we’ve got a 1 ft SW groundswell pushing in with a long 17-second period. The combined wave energy is weak, only hitting 70. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the NNE at 3 mph, keeping things clean under some clouds, but it’s barely a wave. The water’s sitting at 81°, which is pretty normal for this time of year—no big anomaly there.

Friday the 21st is the standout of this first little pulse. Friday morning dawns clear with zero wind—total glass. The swell bumps up a hair to 1 ft from the SW with that long 16-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 121. That’s not much height, but with glassy conditions and that period, it’ll have a bit of push. For a tiny wave, it’ll be about as clean as it gets on the reef. A good time to get the longboard out and not have to fight for a wave at a spot that can see crowds sometimes.

Saturday the 22nd keeps things clean with a 1 ft SW swell, offshore NE winds at 6-9 mph, and energy at 120, but it’s nothing to get excited about. Sunday the 23rd is similar, with a little WNW in the mix. From Monday the 24th onward, the bottom drops out. The swell drops to 0.7 ft and combined energy falls to the single digits or low double digits through to Tuesday the 3rd of September. That’s a full week and a half of poor surf conditions. The winds stay offshore mostly, but with nothing to push, you’re better off doing something else.

Things perk up again on Thursday morning, September 4th. We’re looking at a 2 ft WNW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy hits a moderate 100. With glassy conditions and clear skies, this is likely the best wave of the whole forecast. It’s still small, but if you want the cleanest conditions and a tiny bit of juice, that Friday morning and afternoon on the 4th is the call. It’s a long-range promise, so keep an eye on it, but it has potential.

All in all, we’ve got two small windows of clean but knee-high surf. The real doldrums sit in the middle with nothing to offer. For a reef break with an optimum W swell, the second window on September 4th looks like the best chance for a glassy, tidy session.

Later, Rusty.

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