Lefthanders Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. Let’s get straight into it, because we’ve got a proper stretch of weather and swell to get through, and it starts with a big ol’ lump of ocean that’s got some tricky bits to it.

First things first, that water’s running a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s comfortable out there, but the ocean’s got a lot of energy in it right now. We’re looking at a solid 10ft swell pushing in from the west-southwest at Lefthanders (Big Island) this morning. The energy reading is cranked up to 3953, which is proper strong, and with that 15-second period, there’s plenty of push behind it. The thing is, with a swell this size, it’s just too much for the break. The winds are cross-off from the NNE at 19 mph, so the surface is clean, but honestly, this is beyond the fun zone. If you’re a beginner, stay well clear—this is more of a spectator event. This is too big and you won’t catch a wave, you’ll just be getting washed around.

The afternoon stays big with that 10ft swell, but the wind swings a bit more north and goes cross-shore at 19 mph, which chops things up. It’s still too big for any real fun. This is a pattern that’s going to hold for a few days. Monday sees the swell jump to 13ft and the wind howls onshore from the west at 28 mph. That’s a total write-off. Heavy rain too. Don’t even bother looking at the ocean that day. Tuesday morning drops slightly to 15ft but the period is a long 16 seconds and the energy is massive at 12137. That’s a freight train, but it’s just too much. The wind is gentle from the NW at 9 mph, so the surface is relatively clean, but the raw power is going to close out and make it a washing machine. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday all stay well above the 13ft mark with moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds and messy, lumpy conditions. The size is just relentless. It’s not until Saturday the 22nd that things start to back off a little, dropping to 8ft in the afternoon, but the wind is cross-shore and the energy has backed off to 2903. That’s more of a marginal call with questionable tides. You might find a few, but it’s not worth getting excited about.

Now, here’s where things start to turn. On Sunday the 23rd, the swell is still pushing 10ft from the southwest, but that period is down to 14 seconds, and the energy is down to a more manageable 3240. The wind is your friend here, blowing a clean offshore from the east at 9 mph. This is a solid call. It’s still a fair size, so you need to be comfortable, but the conditions are good. The afternoon drops a touch to 8ft with the wind going light east-southeast at 6 mph, and that’s when it gets proper good. Clean faces, some push, and the energy is at 2109. This is a standout window. It’s not for beginners—that 8ft is still meaty—but for anyone who knows what they’re doing, this is the best we’ve seen in a while.

After that, the swell starts to fade out. Monday the 24th is a step down to 6ft with a moderate cross-shore wind, making things a bit bumpy. The energy has dropped off to 1301, so it’s marginal. Tuesday is a mess with fresh onshore winds and lumpy waves. There’s a period of a few days here where it’s just not on. The waves are small, the wind is messy, and the energy is just not there. This stretch from Monday through Wednesday is basically dead. You’re better off doing something else.

Looking ahead to the end of the window, we get another pulse. On Sunday the 30th, it’s back to over 8ft but it’s blown out with onshore winds, and Monday the 31st actually shapes up nicely. The swell is down to 5ft from the WSW with a 15-second period, the energy is moderate at 1414, and the wind is dead calm. It’s glassy. Flat out glassy. This is a lovely, clean little morning for experienced surfers. It’s not big, but it’s clean and fun. The long period might make it a bit straight at a beach break, but for a reef like this, it should be sweet. That’s your second standout, all the way out on Monday the 31st.

The long and short of it is this: we’ve got a lot of big, messy swell to get through this week. It’s powerful, but it’s too much. The standout windows are Sunday the 23rd and then Monday the 31st. The 23rd is the one with more size and push, but the 31st is the one with the perfect glassy surface. Don't waste your energy on the rest, it's just going to beat you up.

Rusty.

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