Pohoiki Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cookin’ on our stretch.

Right off the bat, it’s a grim stretch for the first week and a half. The only spot we got is Pohoiki, a reef break that’s fairly consistent, but the wind is junk – cross and cross-on from the NE and ENE, blowing 15 to 25 mph, sometimes stronger. The swell is there, running 3 to 7 ft, but it’s short-period slop at 8 seconds, so it’s all chop and no shape. Water temp is about 81°, which is normal for the season.

The energy picks up starting Wednesday the 13th, when we get long-period groundswell from the S with periods up to 18 seconds. Swell size is small, 3 to 4 ft, but the energy is solid – combined energy readings hit over 1000 by Thursday. Problem is the wind stays cross from the NNE at 25 to 30 mph, so it’s lumpy. By Friday the 14th, it’s blowing 35 mph with more lumpy chop, so we’re still in marginal territory.

The one session that could fire? Saturday the 15th of August. The swell jumps to 12 ft from the SE with massive energy (combined energy over 4900). The wind swings cross-off from the N and NNW, blowing 45 mph, and it’s clean for the reef. But 12 ft on a reef is straight-up expert-only. The period is 13 seconds, so it’s powerful. If you’re a charger, that Saturday morning might be the moment – but you better know what you’re doing.

After that, it drops back to 5 to 8 ft, but the wind turns onshore or cross-on again, and it’s back to chop city. By the 21st, there’s a bump to 7 ft from the E, but it’s short period and onshore, so not worth the paddle.

Honestly, the best bet for a paddle is Thursday the 13th morning with the 4 ft S swell and 16-second period – it’s marginal but the reef could offer a clean wall if the wind eases. For the rest of the window, the wind is a killer. This setup is more for kite surfers than paddle surfers for most of it.

Keep an eye on that Saturday, but don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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