Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, lookin’ at the charts for our stretch. It’s gonna be a bit of a slow burner, so don’t go gettin’ your hopes up for the next few days.

Right off the bat, Kawaihae Breakwater has got nothin’ for ya. The swell is barely a ripple at 1ft from the west, and it’s weak as dishwater, with a combined swell energy of just 45. The water’s sitting at a warm 80°, which is about a degree and a half warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s a touch more tropical than usual. But the surf? It’s poor. Honestly, Friday is a write-off.

We’ve got a gap of quiet days to sit through. Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th are still small, with 1ft waves and energy barely tickling 100. They’re surfable, but very ordinary. Monday the 13th is the same story – you’d be paddling for tiny, weak lines.

Now, Tuesday the 14th morning is where it starts to wake up. The swell bumps to 2ft from the west, and that combined energy jumps to 298, which is a solid pulse. The wind is a gentle offshore, makin’ for clean faces. That’s the first real standout of the period. The period is 19 seconds too, which is a long-period groundswell – that means better shaped waves and more punch, but also longer waits between sets. It’s a reef break, so that long period will wrap in nicely.

Wednesday the 15th is the best on offer. Swell is up to 3ft from the west, with a combined energy reading of 352 – that’s proper moderate energy for this spot. The wind goes glassy in the morning and stays light offshore through the afternoon. This is the one to circle. The period is 15 seconds, still a nice groundswell, makin’ for some really good conditions.

Thursday the 16th keeps that 3ft west swell goin’ with energy in the 300s, and again, glassy or light offshore winds. That’s a solid run of days from Tuesday through Thursday.

After that, it fades. Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th are back to ordinary, small surf. By Sunday the 19th, we’re dropping into 1ft and less, with energy numbers in the 50s and lower. There’s another long quiet spell from the 19th all the way through to the 24th – just tiny, poor conditions. It’s only on Friday the 24th afternoon that we see a little 1ft bump from the southwest with energy just cracking 100 again, but it’s nothin’ to write home about.

So, the standout window is Tuesday the 14th through Thursday the 16th. For a reef break with that long-period west swell and those light winds, you want to be there. Crowds can show up sometimes, but with waves this clean and lined up, it’ll be worth it.

Rusty.

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