Onjuku Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s in store for Onjuku.

Right off the bat, the next week and a half is looking pretty grim for a proper session. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf and dodgy conditions, with the first real glimmer of hope not showing up until September 6th. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 82°, but that’s about the only nice thing going on for a while.

Thursday August 27th is a write-off. We’ve got a messy 4 ft SW windswell with a short 6-second period, cross-on wind, and a risk of thunderstorms. The energy is weak (307) and the surf is poor. It doesn’t get any better through the afternoon. Friday the 28th is barely surfable, with a marginal 2 ft from the east and a long 12-second period, but the cross-shore wind and questionable conditions keep it a no-go. Saturday the 29th sees tiny 2 ft to 2 ft east swell, but the wind is clean with a cross-offshore breeze – still, the wave energy is very low (136 and 129), so it’s not worth getting wet.

Sunday August 30th morning is the first bit of relief. The swell is still tiny at 2 ft from the east, but the wind is *glass* – dead calm. The water is glassy, but the wave energy is pitiful (92). It’s a paddle-around kind of day, not a surf day. The rest of that week stays flat and poor, with onshore winds continuing to wreck any chance of a wave.

We finally get a pulse of proper swell on Saturday September 5th morning. A 7 ft east swell rolls in, but it’s a short-period 7-second windswell with a fresh cross-offshore breeze. The energy is up to 519, which is moderate, but the conditions are still marginal. The wind is clean, but that short period makes it fat and lumpy. This one is for the bigger boards only.

Now, the standout. Sunday September 6th is the day to circle. The morning brings a solid 8 ft east-southeast swell (876 energy) with a gentle offshore wind from the north. The period is 9 seconds, giving it some shape. Conditions are clean and lined up. This is the best on offer in the whole 16-day window. The afternoon drops to 5 ft, but it’s still clean. If you’re an experienced surfer, get on it. That 8 ft is pushing into expert territory, but with offshore wind, it’ll be worth it.

Monday September 7th is still decent, with 5 ft from the south and clean cross-offshore wind, though the quality drops a notch. Tuesday the 8th is smaller but clean, with 3 ft from the south and a long 11-second period. The energy is moderate (287). It’s a good backup day.

There’s a bit of a gap again after that, but Friday September 11th morning is another very good call. The swell is 4 ft from the south-southwest with a very long 14-second period, and the wind is glassy. The energy is strong (779). This is a groundswell, so it’ll be lined up and powerful. The afternoon sees a bump to 8 ft, but the period drops to 7 seconds, so the morning is the pick.

Overall, the first week is a bust. The real action is from September 6th to 11th. Sunday the 6th morning is the absolute standout, with Friday the 11th morning a close second. Keep your eyes on those windows.

- Rusty

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