Rabbit/Manana Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your boards and listen up. Rusty here.

We’re looking at a pretty bleak picture on Oahu for the next two and a bit weeks over at Rabbit/Manana Island. This spot is exposed to the NNE, but the swell we’re getting is hammering in from the ENE, which is a rough angle for it. The winds are locked in from the ENE as well, and they just don’t let up. It’s a nasty cross-onshore mess for days on end. The water is about 79°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.

The first two weeks are a write-off. From Monday the 6th of July right through to Sunday the 19th of July, every session is tagged with “poor surf conditions.” The wind is cranking, mostly a fresh to strong breeze, and it’s relentless. The swell sits around 5 ft to 8 ft, but with that wind, it’s just a lumpy, chopped-up mess. There isn't a single standout in that whole stretch. You’d be fighting a losing battle.

Now, after that long run of junk, we get a glimmer. On the 20th of July, Monday morning, the energy jumps up to 479 (moderate wave energy) but the wave height is a tiny 2 ft. The period skyrockets to 19 seconds—that’s very long period, proper groundswell energy. The wind is cross-shore, but it's still moderate, not clean. This kind of period is best on a reef or point, not so much a beach setup, so it's tricky. That afternoon, the energy climbs to 600 (still moderate), height 3 ft, period 18 seconds. It’s still rated poor, though. The wind is a fresh cross-shore, which creates a lumpy cross-chop. Not good.

The only day that even gets a 1 out of 10 is Tuesday the 21st of July. The morning shows a 3 ft swell out of the E with a 16-second period and 556 combined energy (moderate). The wind is a moderate breeze from the ENE, which is cross-shore. The report calls it “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” That’s the best we’ve got, but it’s a long way off and not clean. The afternoon of the 21st drops right back into poor conditions.

Bottom line: there is no good surf on offer here for the entire 16-day window. It’s a blank run, and honestly, this kind of persistent trade wind slop is normal for this area. Get the kiteboard out, because for paddle surfing, it's a no-go.

Rusty

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