Onjuku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into what’s happening at Onjuku over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the first week is a tough one. The surf is tiny and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making for pretty ordinary conditions. We’re looking at a blank run from now until around Saturday the 24th of August where things just aren’t worth paddling out for. The water temperature is sitting around 81°, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing while you’re sitting there waiting for a wave that never comes.

Saturday the 24th is where we finally see a jump in size, but don’t get too excited. The swell jumps up to 8 ft from the SSE with a 16-second period, and the combined energy hits 2935 – that’s a solid punch of power. Problem is, the wind is right onshore from the SSW, so the waves are gonna be messy and blown out. It’s really only a go for experts who don’t mind a bit of chop, and even then it’s borderline. The following days get bigger, with 10 ft+ swell on the 25th and 26th, but the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, so the quality is poor. That 13 ft on the 27th of August with a 22 mph cross-onshore wind? That’s a washing machine – not for paddle surfing. This spot is exposed, so it gets all that energy, but with the wind like that, it’s more of a kite-surfing show than a clean surf session.

Now, let’s look at the second week for a bit of hope. Saturday the 29th of August – we’ve got a shift. The swell drops to 2 ft from the east with a 13-second period, and the wind goes light cross-off from the NE. The combined energy is only 290, so it’s weak, but the conditions are clean. That afternoon especially, the wind stays light and cross-off, and the surf report says “expect good surf conditions.” It’s small, but for a longboard or a funboard, you could have a nice little session without the big crowds (which are only “sometimes” here, so not bad).

Sunday the 30th of August is a standout. The morning brings a 3 ft SSE swell with a 10-second period, and the wind is offshore from the north at 12 mph. That’s clean, glassy conditions. The combined energy is 226, so it’s not a big day, but with that offshore wind, the waves will be peeling nicely. The swell direction (SSE) matches the optimum swell direction (SSE) for this spot, so it’s firing right into the break. This is the best on offer in the whole forecast – a small but clean session with decent shape. Beginners can handle it, too, since it’s under 5 ft.

Looking further ahead, the first few days of September bring some more size, with 6 ft to 6 ft NE swell on the 31st and 1st, but the wind is a stiff NE cross-off around 16 mph. That keeps it clean, but the period is short (9 seconds), so the waves might be a bit weak and messy. The combined energy is moderate (576 to 1157), so there’s some push, but it’s not a standout. By the 4th of September, the wind picks up to 22-25 mph from the NE, making it a blown-out mess again.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best window is Sunday the 30th of August for a clean, small offshore session. After that, the 1st of September might offer a few clean but unremarkable waves. The long-range stuff is promising but not certain – keep an eye on it.

Rusty out.

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