Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for this spot.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are lookin’ pretty flat and ordinary for Kawaihae Breakwater (Hawaii). The water temp is sittin' around average for this time of year, so nothin' weird there. But the wave energy? Barely there. We’re talkin’ combined energy values crawlin’ in the single digits and low double digits for most of the early run – that’s weak, real weak. You’re gonna be staring at a lot of knee-high dribble with that west-northwest to west swell direction, and the period bouncin’ around 10–13 seconds ain't doin’ much to help. The wind’s mostly offshore from the northeast, which keeps things clean, but there’s just no push behind it.

The first week is pretty much a write-off. From Tuesday the 11th all the way through to the end of Monday the 18th, we’re seein’ swell heights between 0.7ft and 1ft, and the combined energy never breaks 70 – that’s a whole lot of nothin’. Even with glassy conditions and offshore breezes, you can’t ride what ain’t there. There’s a brief moment on Sunday the 16th where the energy hits 70 with 1ft from the west-northwest, but the wind swings cross-off then cross-on, and by afternoon it’s choppy. Not worth paddlin’ out for.

Now, around Wednesday the 19th, things start to look a little less sad. The swell nudges up a touch to 1ft from the west-northwest, period hangin’ at 12 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 74 in the morning, then 89 in the afternoon. The wind’s light offshore and clean – that’s about as good as it gets for this stretch. But let’s be real, 1ft is still tiny. It’s surfable if you’re desperate and got a log, but don’t expect any power.

Thursday the 20th brings the most interesting change: the swell direction swings to the southwest with a period of 18 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell, long period. Combined energy sits at 88 in the morning, glassy conditions with a slight air. This long-period SW groundswell is gonna wrap in a little better at this reef setup, and with glassy conditions, it could offer the cleanest, most organised little waves of the whole outlook. But again, height is only 1ft, so it’s still a micro-session. For an intermediate, that's a fun challenge on a longboard, but if you're a beginner, it's fine – it's not gonna bowl over you. Just don’t expect any sort of push.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd see that SW swell linger but drop off in energy, with combined numbers between 55 and 83. Period stays long (15–17 seconds), so there’s still some shape when it trickles in, but the height remains at 1–1ft. Sunday the 23rd is probably the last notable day – combined energy finally cracks 100 (104 in the afternoon) with 1ft from the south-southwest and 15-second period, glassy calm winds. That’s the best energy reading of the whole forecast, but it’s still only ankle-snapper height. If you’re a patient surfer with a foamie, this is your best bet – clean, glassy, tiny but rideable little lines.

After Sunday the 23rd, it drops off a cliff again. Monday the 24th is 0.7ft with 7 energy and an 8-second period – that’s basically flat. Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th are even worse, with 0.3ft and energy in the single digits.

So what’s the call? Honestly, there’s no standout. The best on offer is Wednesday the 19th afternoon for clean 1ft WNW groundswell, or the glassy Sunday the 23rd afternoon with that 104 combined energy from the SSW. Both are tiny but clean. If you’re a kite surfer, the consistent offshore trades and tiny waves through most of this period might actually look more interesting than anything a paddler could use – the setup here is more suited to a kite than a surfboard for the next two weeks.

Rusty.

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