Onjuku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s coming up for Onjuku. It’s a bit of a slow start, but there’s some real promise further out if you’re patient.

The first week is pretty flat and messy. We’ve got a stretch from Monday the 20th through to Sunday the 26th with hardly anything worth paddling out for. The wind is a persistent cross-onshore, and the swell is small, weak, and wonky. The combined wave energy is low, stuck in the double digits or low triple digits (148 to 163), so it’s going to be a lot of groveling in choppy water. The water temp is sitting at 78°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so at least it’s warm out there.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Thursday the 23rd morning. The wind swings NE, going cross-offshore, and the surf is clean but tiny. We’re talking about 3ft of swell from the east with a 10-second period and energy of 145. It’s surfable, but it’s strictly for the longboard or the foiler. Still, it’s a welcome change from the junk that came before.

Things stay quiet and small until we hit Tuesday the 28th. That’s when the ocean wakes up. The morning sees a jump to 6ft from the south with a 14-second period, and the energy surges to 1242. The wind is a cross-onshore, which makes it a bit lumpy, but the power is there. Then Tuesday afternoon is the standout of the first half: glassy conditions, 4ft from the SSW, and a 14-second period. The energy is 996, and the wind is dead calm. It’s going to be clean, but the wave height is more mellow—perfect for intermediate crew looking to score some smooth, lined-up waves without the chaos.

Wednesday the 29th sees the swell push up to 6ft to 7ft with a 15-second period, but the wind gets messy again, cross to cross-onshore. The energy is high (1488 to 1703), but the surface won’t be as pretty as Tuesday afternoon. Thursday the 30th morning is the real gem for the experienced surfers. We’ve got 7ft of clean SSW swell, glassy conditions, and a 15-second period. The energy is 1633. This is the kind of morning where you want to be first in the water. The waves will have serious push and juice, but the size and the long period (over 15 seconds) mean it’s going to be a bit lully and might close out on the beach. It’s best for those who know what they’re doing.

Friday the 31st gets even bigger. By afternoon, the swell hits 10ft from the SSW with a 16-second period and a massive energy of 5464. That’s big, powerful, and very long-period groundswell. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, so it won’t be perfect, but for the big-wave chargers, it’s on. This is expert-only territory. The long period will make it tricky at the beach, with long waits between sets, but the energy is undeniable.

The first weekend of August (the 1st and 2nd) gets blown out hard by fresh cross-shore and cross-onshore winds, dropping the quality right back down. The 3rd and 4th of August see the swell settle back to 3ft to 4ft, with cleaner cross-offshore winds on the 4th, but the energy is moderate and the size is small.

The best bet: If you can time it, Tuesday the 28th afternoon for clean, glassy waves in the 4ft range. For the experienced crew, Thursday the 30th morning is the one to circle—7ft, glassy, and powerful. The big swell on Friday the 31st is a wildcard for the brave.

Rusty out.

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