Rock Point/Pohakuloa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the stretch ahead for Rock Point/Pohakuloa. This is a reef and point set-up that’s exposed and needs the swell to come from the NE to really light up. It’s inconsistent, so when it’s on, it’s a treat, but you gotta be patient.

Looking at the whole 16-day run, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got waves on offer right from Monday the 24th of August, but the start is rough. The winds are howling from the ENE at 19-22 mph, whipping up a lumpy cross-chop, so the surf quality is poor. The swell’s there, between 5 ft and 7 ft from the E and ENE, but it’s short-period windswell (6-8 seconds), meaning it’s weak and messy. The combined energy is moderate (between 497 and 175 in the first few days), but the conditions are just not cooperating for a good paddle.

This poor run with those cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions drags on through the end of August and into the first days of September. You’re looking at a solid week and a half of what I’d call a write-off. The swell ticks up a bit on the 1st of September, with heights around 8 ft and periods finally stretching to 9 seconds, but the wind stays nasty and cross-shore. The energy climbs up (775 on that Tuesday morning), but the "poor surf conditions" tag says it all.

Then, on Saturday the 5th of September, things start to get interesting. The swell turns on properly. We see heights around 8 ft from the ENE, but the period jumps way up to 13 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell. The combined energy roars to 1719, which is strong, very strong. The report says it’s “marginal” though, due to questionable tide or other factors, and the wind is still a cross-shore fresh breeze. That long period swell is great for a point break like this, but it can be tricky. The water temperature anomaly is about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there.

The real standout, the one to keep your eye on, is Monday the 7th of September. We’ve got a solid 7 ft swell from the NE with an 11-second period. The combined energy is up there (1692 in the afternoon) – strong. And most importantly, the wind finally drops. It’s an easterly breeze at only 9 mph, described as a gentle breeze with just a slight cross-chop. That’s the cleanest window in the whole outlook. This is for the experts, though – that’s a solid overhead swell. If you’re an experienced surfer, and you can wait until the 7th of September, that’s your best shot. It’s inconsistent, so you might have to wait for the sets, but the quality could be there.

After that, the energy holds but the wind picks back up into a moderate breeze on the 8th, so the window closes pretty quickly.

So, to wrap it up: forget the first 12 days. It’s a long, frustrating run of wind-chopped, short-period slop. The only real window for a decent surf is that Monday the 7th of September. It’s a promising, cleaner day with a proper NE groundswell. It’s not a guarantee, given it’s a long-range call and the break is inconsistent, but it’s the best on offer by a long shot. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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