Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. The 16-day window for Sandy Beach on the Big Island is a bit of a mixed bag. We've got some real challenges with the wind, and a whole lot of nothing for the first week. The water’s sitting at a pretty typical 80°, nothing unusual there for this time of year.

Sandy Beach (Big Island) kicks off the forecast, but honestly, don't bother paddling out until the very end of the run. The first week is a total write-off. From Tuesday the 21st right through to Thursday the 30th of July, it’s a grim stretch. We’re looking at a relentless ENE wind blowing at 16 to 25 mph every single day. That’s a stiff cross-shore breeze churning up a lumpy cross-chop. The swell that's around is mostly tiny, or it’s a long-period SSW groundswell that just isn't lining up right for this exposed beach setup. The combined wave energy is moderate at best, bouncing between 424 and 1053 units, but it’s all slop. The conditions are just plain poor.

Things start to look a little less hopeless around Sunday the 26th of July. The swell picks up a bit, hitting 4 ft to 5 ft from the east with a long 15 to 16 second period. The energy jumps into the strong range (1462 to 1658 units). That's a proper groundswell, but the wind is still a fresh cross-shore from the NE at 19 mph, keeping the sea lumpy. It’s only rated as marginal, and not something I’d get too excited about unless you're desperate for a paddle.

The same story continues through the last few days of July and into the start of August. Cleaner conditions show up on the morning of Tuesday the 28th, with a lighter NNE wind making for a cross-off breeze. The swell holds at 6 ft from the east with a 13-second period. That might be the closest we get to a clean session, but the consistency isn’t there for a standout.

The only real standout window, and it's a proper pinch-me moment, is on the afternoon of Saturday the 1st of August. The swell absolutely pumps up to 10 ft from the ENE. Now, that’s a big number. The combined energy is a burly 1179 units. But here’s the kicker: the guidance says it's predicted to be too big for this break. That kind of size on an exposed beach and reef setup like Sandy’s with a short 8-second period is going to be a washing machine. The wind is a fresh cross-shore at 22 mph, so it'll be lumpy on top of that. This is strictly for experienced chargers who know the sand bars, and even then, it’s a dice roll. Beginners, don't even think about it.

So, the long and short of it is: Sandy Beach is going to be a frustrating spot for the next two weeks. There are no clean, easy days on offer. The very end of the run has some solid size, but with the conditions, it’s more of a challenge than a cruise. Fingers crossed the forecasts shift, because this is a long stretch of so-so surf.

Rusty out.

Read more