Onjuku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here.

First off, I’ll be straight with you – the next week or so is looking pretty grim for a proper paddle at Onjuku. The water temp is sitting at a normal 78° for this time of year, so no surprises there, but the swell is small and messy with onshore winds messing up the surface. There’s a long patch of poor conditions from the 15th through the 18th, with tiny waves around 2 ft to 3 ft and weak energy (84 to 216). Not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate for a float.

We start to see a glimmer of hope on the morning of the 20th. That Monday brings a glassy morning with a clean 4 ft easterly swell, period at 10 seconds, and moderate energy (290). It’s small but clean – a good one for beginners or a longboard cruise. The wind is glassy, so the surface will be smooth. The 21st Tuesday morning is similar, with 5 ft easterly groundswell and glassy conditions (414 energy), but the swell gets a bit bumpy in the afternoon as the wind swings onshore.

The real spark comes late on the 23rd and into the 24th. Thursday the 23rd morning has a clean 4 ft easterly swell with a cross-offshore breeze from the NNE (399 energy). Friday the 24th morning stays clean with 3 ft easterly swell and light cross-offshore wind (278 energy), and the afternoon holds 3 ft but still clean. These are the best windows in the first week – small but clean, fun for a cruisy session.

Now, hold onto your board – the end of the month is looking serious. On the 29th of July, Wednesday morning, we’ve got a 5 ft southeasterly swell with a very long 15-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s still a bit grotty. The energy is big (857). That afternoon, the swell bumps to 5 ft, same direction, long period, and the wind goes cross-shore, making it cleaner (1244 energy). This is more for the experienced crew – 5 ft with that kind of period will have some punch.

Thursday the 30th is the standout. Morning sees 6 ft southeasterly groundswell, 15-second period, and a clean cross-offshore wind from the NE (1739 energy). The afternoon gets even better: 7 ft southeasterly swell, 16-second period, and clean cross-offshore wind (2942 energy). That’s proper groundswell – long, powerful lines. At over 7 ft, this is only for experts. The break will be powerful, and with that long period, Onjuku, being a beach break, might close out a bit, so look for a bank that holds. The wind is clean, though, so the surface will be glassy. This is the best on offer in the whole 16-day window.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly weak and windy, with a couple of clean small windows on the 20th, 21st, 23rd, and 24th. The real standout is the 30th of July – big, clean, powerful groundswell. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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