Laniakea Reef and Holtons Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s on the cards for Laniakea Reef and Holtons over the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The forecast is pretty flat and the wind is mostly blowing across the wave from the east or east-northeast, which is a cross-off wind here. That’s not the worst for a bit of texture, but when there’s barely any swell to work with, it’s just a tease.

The first real chance to get wet comes Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. We’ve got a tiny pulse of swell from the northeast showing up, maybe 2ft on the face. The period is short, only 7 seconds, so it’s not going to have much shape or push. The combined energy is weak at 113 (moderate wave energy). The wind is a gentle breeze from the east-northeast, so it’s cross-off but clean. Honestly, it’s surfable, but it’s pretty ordinary. Not worth racing out for.

Thursday the 20th is much the same story – a bit of northeast swell, 2ft, short period, and cross-off wind. Keeps the same vibe: clean but small and weak.

Now, Friday morning the 21st of August is a bit of a standout for the whole outlook, but I need to manage your expectations. The swell is still tiny, 2ft from the north-northeast, but the wind goes glassy – a slight air from the southeast. That’s a rare moment of real calm. The combined energy is only 35 (weak wave energy), so it’s not going to be powerful, but if you want the cleanest surface you’ll see all week, this is it. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no drama there.

After that, the windows just close. From Saturday the 22nd onward, the swell gets even smaller and the wind picks up to a moderate or fresh breeze, making the conditions look poor. There’s a bit of a bump in energy on Saturday afternoon and Sunday the 23rd with combined energy readings of 198 and 162 (both moderate wave energy), but the swell is coming from the west-northwest or northwest, and with a cross-off wind, it’s just not coming together. The waves are still under 3ft.

We then hit a real dead zone. From the 24th of August right through to the 31st, it’s a long stretch of flat to tiny surf, with combined energy often dropping below 50. The 28th of August sees a 0.3ft swell from the northwest with a combined energy of just 3 (weak wave energy). That’s not even surfable.

The only other flicker of life comes on Monday the 31st of August. There’s a 2ft swell from the southwest, with a period of 9 to 10 seconds, and combined energy hits 131 (moderate wave energy) in the afternoon. But the wind is still a moderate breeze from the east-northeast, so it’s cross-off and clean. It’s still small, but it’s the best-looking energy in the second week. Given it’s a reef break and the swell direction matches the optimum (NW), there’s a chance it’ll line up better than the numbers suggest. But it’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not certain.

Beyond that, the start of September looks just as flat and quiet.

So, what’s the pick? The only real standout is Friday morning, the 21st of August. The glassy wind will make it look beautiful, even if the waves are tiny. If you’re after a clean, cruisy session on a longboard, that’s your moment. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or both. This is a stretch where you’ll need to be patient, or just enjoy the sunshine.

Rusty.

Read more