Makapu'u Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s talk about Makapu’u. This is a reef setup that’s exposed, and it’s been a tough run. The truth is, the whole 16-day window is a bit of a struggle, with a long stretch of almost nothing worthwhile. The water is sitting at 80°F, which is just about normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.

Really, the first decent chance doesn’t show up until the tail end of the month. You’ve got a proper gap of nearly a week and a half with no real recommendations. The first few days are all “poor surf conditions” – onshore winds from the ENE and NE are just killing any chance of a clean face. The swell is there, but it’s mostly short-period wind swell, and the winds are blowing straight onshore, so it’s a mess.

The real standout, the only one worth pointing your board at, is Thursday, July 30th. Both the morning and afternoon sessions at Makapu’u look like a different world. The wind swings around to a light breeze from the S, turning into a cross-offshore. That’s the key. The swell is a clean 5 ft to 6 ft from the ENE with a 9-second period. The combined energy is moderate (575 and 734), but that light cross-off wind will make it glassy and clean. This is your window. It’s a reef break, so the longer period will hold up nicely, and it’s a fairly consistent spot. The crowds are “sometimes” an issue, so you might have some company, but when the wind is that sweet, it’s worth it.

Before that, the week prior is a no-go. Strong onshore winds, a lot of short-period junk, and swell heights that get too big for comfort (over 8 ft by the 24th and 25th) but with terrible wind, so it’s just a washing machine. That’s more of a kite or windsurfing setup than a paddle session.

After the 30th, it goes back to poor conditions. The wind swings back onshore, and the swell gets messy again. The second week of the forecast is another write-off, and by the 1st of August, the energy is there but the wind is a problem again. So, keep your eyes on that Thursday, the 30th of July. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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