Makapu'u Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta say, looking at the next couple of weeks for this stretch of coast, it’s a bit of a tough ask. The forecast is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle surfing for a long stretch, so we’re going to be patient.

Right off the bat, we’ve got nothing. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn’t show up until Monday the 17th of August, and even then, it’s a marginal call. That’s over a full week of sitting on the beach just watching the wind blow.

Makapu'u is the only game in town, and it’s a real struggle. For the whole first week, from the 10th through to the 16th, it’s just relentless onshore wind. We’re talking 18 to 25 mph winds, mostly from the ENE and NE, battering the place. The swell is all over the place, with a mix of short-period ENE windswell and some longer period S and SSW groundswell, but the energy is moderate to strong (values between 414 and 1802). It doesn’t matter what’s coming in when the wind is that raw. The 16th is particularly nasty, with a near gale cross-shore wind and risk of thunderstorms. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is about average for the time of year.

Now, we finally get a glimmer on Monday the 17th. The morning sees a 8ft swell from the ENE with a 10-second period, and the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph from the SE. The energy is very strong (1562). It’s still cross-onshore, so it’s going to be fairly choppy, but it’s the only window that’s even remotely close to rideable. The afternoon gets worse again as the wind swings back onshore. This spot is a reef, so it needs a lot of things to line up, and it’s been inconsistent lately. The crowds are *sometimes* an issue, but with conditions this poor, I doubt many will be out.

Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th drop back into mediocrity, with onshore winds and short, weak swell. The energy plummets to weak levels (161-649). Thursday the 20th offers a weird, long-period 2ft SSW groundswell, but with a fresh onshore breeze, it’ll be a mess.

The second week doesn’t get much better. The 21st through the 25th is a repeat of the same story: onshore trade winds, mostly from the ENE, mixing with very short-period windswell and some longer period SSW pulses. The swell sizes bounce around from 2ft to 7ft, but the wind never gives us a break. The energy is moderate to strong (198-1168), but it’s all for nothing.

The only small window that might be worth a look is on Monday the 17th morning. For experts, the 8ft swell is big, but with the wind being cross-onshore, it’s likely to be a battle. It’s not a standout by any stretch, just the least bad option in a bleak forecast. For anyone else, I’d leave the board in the car and go find something else to do.

Rusty.

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