Rock Point/Pohakuloa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, checking the charts for the stretch around Rock Point/Pohakuloa. Gotta be straight with you—this is a tough start. The first whole week is pretty much a write-off. If you’re looking to get wet, you might as well take the dog for a walk instead. We've got NE swell in the 6ft to 7ft range, but it's short-period, wind-affected slop with cross-shore winds up to 25 mph from Monday the 31st of August right through to the 4th of September. The wave energy is moderate to strong (459-838) but it's all messy and lumpy out there. Nothing to get excited about.

Friday the 4th of September doesn't look any better—still onshore junk. Then we hit a bit of a lull over the weekend of the 5th and 6th. The swell drops but gets interesting. The swell period jumps to 13 seconds, coming from the ENE. Wave energy spikes to over 2000, but it’s all messy cross-shore winds. The comment says "marginal" so don't get your hopes up, but you can see the potential is there. Rock Point is a reef and point set-up though, so this longer-period groundswell *is* the direction you want.

Hold onto your boards because Monday the 7th of September is the standout, and it’s a big one. We’re looking at a 10ft to 13ft ENE swell with a 12-second period. The wave energy is absolutely pumping at 2934 to 4988—that’s very strong energy. The wind shifts to a cross-offshore from the NE and NNE, described as "clean". This is a proper, heavy groundswell. For a reef and point break like Rock Point, this is prime. But I gotta warn you, at 10ft to 13ft this is expert territory. If you’re not confident in big, powerful surf, sit this one out and watch from the rocks. The water here is at a comfortable 80°F, which is spot on for the time of year.

After that, the surf turns ugly again. Tuesday the 8th, the wind swings onshore and it’s all blown out. The rest of that week and the weekend of the 12th to the 14th is a slow rebuild. The swell drops to around 7ft with a short 8-second period, and cross-shore winds are back. The energy is moderate, around 500-600.

However, if you can wait, the real silver lining comes on Saturday the 12th of September afternoon and through the weekend of the 13th and 14th. The wind finally goes offshore on the 12th from the NE at 9 mph, giving us clean conditions. Then Sunday the 13th afternoon is predicted to be glassy—dead flat with a SE wind at only 3 mph and a 7ft, clean groundswell from the ENE. Monday the 14th is looking just as clean with light offshore winds. The crowd meter says "often" at this spot, and when it's clean like this, expect company, but it'll be worth it. That Sunday afternoon window is the hidden gem of this whole forecast.

The long-range outlook into the 15th of September fades out again with small, onshore junk. So, to sum it up: the first week is a total dud. The one big, heavy day is Monday the 7th of September for experts only. The clean, glassy fun will be on Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th of September. The water is a bit warmer than average at 80°F, but otherwise about right for late summer.

Rusty.

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