Kepuhi Beach/Sheraton's Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking for Kepuhi Beach/Sheraton's. Truth is, the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag, with a lot of small, ordinary days and some tricky winds. The best window looks like it’s going to be the first few days of the second week, but we’ve got to get through a lot of doldrums first.

We start off on Tuesday, the 1st of September, with a clean but tiny 2ft SSW swell from the south. The wind is a cross-off from the NE at 19 mph, which keeps the surface clean but the wave energy is pretty weak at 381. It’s just not doing much. This poor run continues through Wednesday and Thursday with even smaller surf, dropping to nearly nothing. The combined energy is barely a whisper, with values like 31 and 0. The 0.3ft stuff on Friday, the 4th, is just a ripple.

The weekend doesn’t bring much more to shout about. Saturday morning, the 5th, sees a bump to 4ft from the SSW, with a moderate 11-second period. The combined energy jumps to 529, which is a moderate amount of grunt, but the forecast calls it marginal. The wind is still a cross-off, so not ideal. Sunday’s similar, with 5ft and a bit more energy (530-768), but the wind is still cross-off and there’s even a risk of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. It’s clean, but not really firing.

Now, here’s the small window that could be the standout. Monday afternoon, the 7th, we finally see a shift. The swell is 3ft from the SSW with a very long 17-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is 761, and the wind drops to a light breeze from the ENE at 6 mph, making it a cross-off that’s almost glassy. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a clean, lined-up wave, but with that long period, it’ll be better on the reef sections than the beach. The sets will be more spaced out, making paddling out easier, but it might be a bit walled-up on the sand.

Tuesday morning, the 8th, is even better. The wind switches to a light offshore from the SE at 6 mph, which is a major positive. Same 3ft SSW swell, but the period is still a solid 15 seconds. Combined energy is 615. That’s your best bet for clean, glassy waves without the wind messing them up. The afternoon stays nice with a light cross-off and 4ft swell.

After that, the wind cranks back up on Wednesday the 9th with a fresh breeze at 19-22 mph, and the swell drops off. The 10th and 11th are back to tiny, poor surf. By Saturday the 12th, we get a glassy morning with 2ft from the SW, but it’s just ordinary. The wave energy is weak (116). Sunday the 13th has a bit more push (2ft, 16-second period, 216 energy) but a risk of storms again.

The very end of the run, on Wednesday the 16th, shows a 4ft from the NNW with a 12-second period, which is a different direction. The combined energy is 357, so moderate, and the wind is a light cross-off. It’s a marginal call, but it’s something to keep an eye on if you’re stuck.

Water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird.

So, if you’re asking me, the one to really aim for is Tuesday morning, the 8th of September. Offshore wind, clean 3ft SSW groundswell with a long period, and moderate energy. That’s the pick of the whole 16-day window. Monday afternoon, the 7th, is a close second with that glassy cross-off and the same long-period swell. Just be aware that the long period means the beach break might be a bit straight, so the reef is your friend.

For the rest of it, you’re mostly looking at small, clean but unexciting conditions, or windy, messy days. The crowds at Kepuhi are often there, so don’t expect solitude on the good days.

Rusty.

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