Makapu'u Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it for this part of the island.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you: the first week plus is looking like a write-off. The water temperature is sitting at 79.2°, which is pretty much average for the time of year, so at least the swim is nice. But the surf? A whole lot of nothing good.

Starting from Tuesday the 14th, we’ve got a consistent onshore to cross-onshore wind from the ENE and NE, blowing at 9 to 22 mph, just ruining any chance of clean waves. Swell direction is all over the place, but mostly ENE and short-period junk around 6 to 7 seconds. Tuesday afternoon does show a little bit of juice from a SSW groundswell with a 14-second period and moderate wave energy (449), but with the wind howling onshore, it’s just messy. Wednesday the 15th through to the end of the week is the same story—poor surf conditions and a zero score across the board. You’d be better off going for a run.

There’s a solid gap here. From the 14th right through to about the 25th, there’s no surf worth paddling for. The wind stays up, the swell is weak or poorly directed, and even when the energy climbs (like on the 18th with 518 or the 20th with 554), the conditions are just trash.

Now, let’s talk about the one real standout, and it’s a long way off. On Saturday the 25th, things get interesting. We’ve got a solid 6.6ft to 7.2ft swell rolling in from the ENE with a short 7-second period, but the combined energy is cranking—strong to very strong at 911 and 984. This is a lot of water moving. For Makapu'u, a reef break that’s fairly consistent and exposed, that size is going to be big. At over 6.6ft, we’re looking at expert-only territory. The wind is still onshore from the ENE, which is a bummer, but the sheer power is there. The swell direction from the ENE doesn’t match the optimum direction for the break (ESE), so it might be a bit wonky, but the energy is undeniable. This is the one day that has some real potential if you’re a strong surfer, but be aware it could be a handful.

Following that, the 26th and 27th (Sunday and Monday) still show strong energy (1138, 1187, 1224), but the swell drops back to a manageable 2.9ft to 3.3ft on a very long-period SSW groundswell (17 seconds). That kind of period is primo for a reef like this, and with the wind still onshore, it might be cleaner than the 25th, but less powerful.

Bottom line: the first week is a total bust. The 25th of July is the standout for size and raw power, but it’s for experts only and the wind isn’t your friend. The end of the month looks promising energy-wise, but it's a long way off and the wind direction hasn't turned favourable yet. Keep an eye on it.

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