Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for our little corner of the lineup.

Right off the bat, it’s a flat start. We’re looking at a solid few days of nothing much happening from Wednesday the 8th through to Friday the 10th of July. The water is sitting at about 80°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, but there’s just no energy in the water to play with. You’d be floating, not surfing.

Things start to stir on Saturday the 11th. The swell finally shows up, but it’s small and weak. We’re looking at a combined energy of 112 (moderate), with waves around 1 ft coming from the SW. The wind is offshore from the NE at 12 mph, which keeps things clean, but honestly, it’s pretty ordinary. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate for a splash.

The real story starts to build from Wednesday the 15th of July. That’s when we get a decent little pulse. The swell picks up to 3 ft from the W, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, and it’s got some push. The combined energy jumps to 354 (strong). The wind stays offshore or light, so conditions are clean. Kawaihae Breakwater (Big Island) is going to be the spot to look at. The swell direction is straight out of the west, which is the optimum direction for this reef. It’s a fairly consistent break, but it can get a crowd sometimes, so don’t expect to have it to yourself.

Thursday the 16th of July keeps that energy going, with similar 3 ft W swell and clean offshore breezes. This is the best stretch of the whole outlook. The water is still that touch warmer than normal, and the conditions are just right for a reef break like this. The long 16-second period means the waves will have good shape and plenty of energy, but keep in mind it might be a bit too lined up for a beach break – perfect for the reef here, though.

After that, the swell starts to ease back down. Friday the 17th drops to 2 ft, and by Saturday the 18th it’s back to 2 ft. The wind goes glassy on Saturday morning, which is a nice touch, but the size is fading. By Sunday the 19th, it’s pretty much done. The rest of the run into the 23rd of July is flat again, with poor surf conditions and no real energy to speak of.

So, the standout is Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th of July. That’s your window. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, it’s consistent, and the swell direction is dialed in for the break. If you can get out there, you’ll get some fun ones.

Rusty.

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