Ohara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the surf forecast for Ohara.

Honestly, the next week or so is a write-off. There’s a long dry spell from now through the end of August and into early September where you’ll find almost nothing but tiny, wind-chopped surf. Figure 7 or 8 days of flat to small junk. Not worth pulling the wetsuit on.

Things finally perk up on Tuesday the 1st of September. The wind cleans up to cross-offshore and a small Southerly swell rolls in at about 3ft. The 11-second period will give the waves some shape, and there’s moderate energy in the water (290). That afternoon session will be quiet and clean, perfect if you don’t mind things being small.

Your best bet in this first window is Wednesday the 2nd of September. We’ve got clean offshore Southerly winds all day with the swell holding steady at 3ft in the morning and a clean 3ft in the afternoon. A consistent 11-second period means lined-up, rideable waves, and the combined energy sits at a moderate 385. For a relaxing, uncrowded surf, this is the pick of the early period.

Then things change in a big way. By Sunday the 6th of September, the swell packs a punch. An SSE groundswell pushes in at 8ft with a very long 14-second period, and the combined energy is through the roof (2752). The wind stays cross-offshore, so it’ll look beautiful, but over 8ft you’re looking at a big, powerful ocean for experts only. It gets even more intense Monday the 7th – a 11ft to 13ft Southerly swell with strong offshore winds and extreme energy (over 3000). Long period, heavy, and raw. That’s a serious swell that’s going to be way too much for most paddlers; honestly, that setup looks more like a kite-surfing day than anything else.

So here's the deal: skip the first week. The real highlights are a clean, fun small day on Wednesday the 2nd, and a massive, expert-only groundswell arriving on the 6th and 7th of September. That far-out one is promising, but mark your calendar and keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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