Onjuku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up for Onjuku over the next couple of weeks.

First off, we’ve got a solid run of swell on the way, but the wind is going to be a bit of a battle for most of the first week. The standout moment is definitely going to be Tuesday, August 11th. The morning starts with a clean 7 ft easterly swell, period around 12 seconds, and a nice offshore wind from the north. That’s going to be some proper, lined-up surf. Then, the afternoon gets even better – the wind drops to glassy, literally nothing, and the swell settles to 6 ft from the east. That’s the kind of session you wait for; clean, offshore, and the wave energy is moderate (1008). The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The early part of the run is heavy but messy. From Sunday, August 2nd, through the next few days, we’ve got a big SE groundswell building. Sunday morning starts with a clean 4 ft at 16 seconds, but the wind is a cross-off, so it’s rideable. The energy is moderate (703). By Monday and Tuesday, the swell is roaring – we’re talking 10 ft to 13 ft with a very long 16-second period. That’s big, powerful, and the combined energy is huge (5226 to 7838). For a beach break like Onjuku, that long period groundswell can make it break a bit straight and fast. The wind is a stiff cross-off from the NE, so it’s clean, but this is for experts only. Beginners, stay well clear – it’s too big.

By the end of the first week, the swell starts to drop, but the wind turns more onshore or cross-shore, making it choppy and less appealing. We get a bit of a lull from Saturday, August 8th, with smaller 5 ft to 6 ft swells, but the wind is still a cross-off, so it’s manageable.

Then we hit the real gem. That Tuesday, August 11th, is the one to circle. After that, we get a few days of clean, offshore winds but the swell drops off. Wednesday, August 12th, has a 4 ft easterly swell with a strong offshore wind, but it’s a bit of a struggle to paddle into with that 25 mph wind. Thursday, August 13th, sees a bit more size (8 ft) but the same strong wind, so it’s clean but tricky.

The second week gets a bit messy again. We get a big, onshore lumpy mess around Friday, August 14th and Saturday, August 15th, with 10 ft to 12 ft swells but onshore winds. That’s not good for surfing. By Sunday, August 16th, it’s smaller and cleaner again, but nothing special.

So, the bottom line: Tuesday, August 11th is your best bet. The morning offshore and the afternoon glassy session with a solid 6 ft to 7 ft east swell are the clear winners. The rest of the window is a mix of big, powerful, and windy conditions or smaller, cleaner but less exciting waves. Stay safe out there.

- Rusty

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