Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the surf is flat and has been for a while. We’re looking at a big gap here with hardly anything worth paddling out for until around the 15th of September. For nearly a week, it’s just tiny, weak dribble with combined swell energy barely scraping double digits (36 at best). The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, which is nice, but you’ll be floating more than surfing. Then, around the 15th of September, things start to flicker back to life.

The standout window is going to be from the 15th of September through the 19th of September. Kawaihae Breakwater (Big Island) is the only game in town showing some real pulse. The combined energy climbs into the hundreds (106) by Tuesday morning. You’re looking at a small but long-period groundswell, around 1ft to 2ft, rolling in from the southwest with periods stretching up to 18–20 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, which gives those waves some shape and push, but you'll have longer lulls between sets. It’s a reef setup, so that long period stuff should wrap in nicely. The wind is forecast to be glassy or gentle offshore out of the northeast, especially on the 16th and 18th of September, so you're looking at clean, peeling lines.

The 16th of September Wednesday afternoon looks like the pick of the bunch. You’ve got 2ft from the SW, an 18-second period, and glassy conditions. Combined energy hits 160, which is the highest in the whole run. It’s small enough for intermediates but has enough grunt for a fun session on a longboard or a fish. Because it’s a reef, you might get some occasional company, but nothing manic.

Heads up, the 17th of September has moderate offshore winds at 12 mph, so it’ll be a bit bumpy but still clean. From the 20th of September onward, the swell backs right off again, dropping to tiny 0.7ft or 1.0ft with falling energy. The period stays long, but there’s just not enough size to get excited about. After the 19th, it’s back to flat spells.

So, if you’re itching for a wave, circle the 16th of September. It’s not a bomb, but it’s the cleanest, most energetic little window we’ve got. The rest of the time, you might wanna check the kite gear – with that consistent offshore wind and small swell, the bay might be more interesting for a kite than a paddle.

Rusty.

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