Laniakea Reef and Holtons Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this outlook for Laniakea Reef and Holtons is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with barely a ripple for most of the next two weeks, and even when things start to show a pulse, it’s not going to set the world on fire.

The pattern is pretty grim to start. From Wednesday the 29th of July right through to the 9th of August, it’s a wasteland. Day after day of tiny, weak swells – mostly under 1 feet – with moderate cross-off winds and combined wave energy figures barely crawling into double digits. The 31st of July afternoon sees a little bump to 1 feet from the SW with a 15-second period, but the energy is still a paltry 96; it’s a tease at best. The water temp is sitting at 79°F, which is perfectly normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real sign of life appears around the 8th of August. The Saturday morning shows a 2-foot swell from the west, with a period of 12 seconds, and the combined energy finally jumps to a moderate 191. That’s a faint heartbeat, but it’s still crossed-off by an ENE breeze at 12 mph, so it’s going to be messy and weak. The Sunday the 9th of August is similar – 2 feet on the afternoon, 13-second period, energy of 197 – but still cross-off winds. It’s not worth paddling out for.

The standout, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 11th of August. The morning brings a 3-foot swell from the NE with a short 9-second period, and the combined energy hits 253 (moderate). The real champ here is the wind: a gentle offshore from the SE at 9 mph. That’s clean, glassy lines on offer. But it’s a short-period swell, which means it’ll be a bit lumpy and not as powerful as a longer-period groundswell. For a beginner-friendly spot like this, that 3 feet is still manageable, and the offshore wind should make it the best session of the entire window. Crowds are “sometimes” a problem here, so keep an eye out.

The 12th of August morning is worth a mention too – 3 feet from the NE with a 9-second period, offshore SE wind at 9 mph, and energy of 163. It’s not as good as the day before, but it’s still clean.

Overall, this is a bleak run. The 11th of August morning is the only true highlight, and even then it’s a modest wave. Between now and then, you’re looking at almost two weeks of flat, windy nothing. That’s a long gap. For an exposed reef like Laniakea, that’s just how it goes sometimes – the forecasts can shift, but right now, I’d save your energy and wait for that Tuesday morning.

Rusty.

Read more