Ohara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Ohara has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. The whole outlook is a bit of a slow burner, with the good stuff feeling like a long wait.

Right off the bat, early on Thursday the 30th, we’ve got tiny, clean 1ft surf from the southeast, but the energy is weak (67). It is only just ridable. The water is warm at 80°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year. Still, this is the only real session for a while, because after that, things go flat and funky.

The next few days are pretty much a write-off. Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st have tiny, messy windswell with poor conditions. Don’t even bother. Sunday the 2nd sees a jump to 4ft, but it’s a cross-on wind and the wind is making a mess of it. The swell period is very long at 16 seconds, which is good energy (794) but that onshore breeze will chop it up. It’s just not worth the paddle out.

We then hit a real lull for the bigger swells. From Monday the 3rd through to Tuesday the 6th of August, the swell is just pumping huge, hitting 13ft to 15ft with massive energy (up to 11451). But the wind is consistently howling cross-on or onshore. At those sizes, it’s just a washing machine, and frankly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. It is way too big and blown out for anyone but the most crazy, and even then it’s not safe.

Now, there is a serious silver lining. Here is the main event. Things finally clean up on Friday morning, the 7th of August. The swell eases to a solid 8ft from the south, with a nice 14-second period. The wind goes cross-offshore with a light breeze. The energy is still strong (3390). This is excellent, punchy surf for experienced surfers only – this size is not for beginners. The water will still be warm.

That quality holds into Saturday the 8th, with 5ft to 5ft from the ESE. The wind stays light and cross-off, keeping the waves clean and lined up. This is your weekend winner, though it’s still a big wave for the average punter.

After that brief window of glory, the wind swings back onshore again from the 9th onward, turning everything choppy and bumpy. The swell sticks around, but the clean conditions are gone. By the 12th, it's a fresh cross-onshore wind with big, messy walls that just aren’t fun.

In the end, if you are an experienced surfer, circle the 7th and 8th of August on your calendar. That’s your window for clean groundswell. The rest of this forecast is a tale of waiting for the wind to play nice. This break is known for being inconsistent, so a run of poor days isn’t out of the ordinary, but when it comes together, it can be magic.

Rusty.

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