Onjuku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here.

Look, if you’re hanging for a surf at Onjuku over the next sixteen days, you’re going to need a whole lot of patience. The first week is pretty much a write-off, and it’s not until we get into the second week that things start to look a little more interesting.

Right now, the surf is flat and messy. We’ve got a run of poor conditions from today through to late next week. The water temp is sitting around 79°, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit when you finally paddle out.

The first real chance of a wave comes on Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning is a write-off with a big, stormy 12ft to 13ft swell from the SSE and strong SSW winds – that’s way too much grunt for a spot like Onjuku, and it’s only for experts. But hold onto your leash, because Tuesday afternoon sees a shift: the wind drops to glassy – yes, glassy – with a lighter NE breeze at just 3 mph. The swell drops to a still-chunky 10ft from the SSE, with a solid 10-second period and strong wave energy (1630). This is excellent for experienced surfers. That long-period groundswell at a beach break can be a bit straight, so the shape might be a little walled, but when it’s glassy like that and you’ve got that much push, it’s a standout session for the crew who know what they’re doing. Expect crowds likely here, as it’s the only proper window.

After that, we slide back into small, weak surf – 1ft to 3ft with short periods – and cross-off or onshore winds through to the middle of the month. There’s a long gap of nothing special until Wednesday the 16th of September. Wednesday afternoon sees a clean 8ft swell from the ENE with a 9-second period and moderate wave energy (1834). The wind is a solid cross-off from the NE at 22 mph, which will keep the surface clean, but that’s a strong breeze. The consistency is marginal, and the size is pushing into expert territory at over 8ft. It’s a promising option for the brave, but a long way out.

Even later, Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th of September offer cleaner, more manageable 6ft to 8ft swells from the ENE and E, with cross-off winds. The wave energy drops back to moderate (around 500-800), so it’s more surfable for intermediate surfers, but not a standout. The period is short (7-9 seconds), so the waves will be a bit weaker and more crumbly.

So, the best on offer? Hands down, it’s Tuesday the 8th of September afternoon – glassy, 10ft SSE groundswell for the experienced. After that, keep an eye on the second week, but the quality is marginal for most. Onjuku is inconsistent, and this is a classic blank run for the area – it tends not to stay poor forever, but you’ve got to wait for it.

Rusty.

Read more