Takegashima Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ in the water for Takegashima. Gotta be honest, it’s a slow start with a lot of ordinary conditions, but there’s a real flash of lightning in the second week that’s got my attention.

Alright, the first few days are pretty grim. From Tuesday the 18th right through to Sunday the 23rd of August, we’re looking at tiny, weak surf. The swell is mostly hanging around 1 ft to 3 ft, with combined energy barely cracking 100 (values like 66, 77, 173). It’s just not enough to get excited about. The wind is light and mostly cross or cross-off, but the waves are just too small and weak to make it worthwhile. The morning of the 21st Friday is glassy with a 3 ft S swell, but it’s still just surfable, not special. Expect a long stretch of nothing much here.

Now, hold on to your board, because Monday the 24th of August is the standout. The morning kicks off with a clean 6 ft SE swell, period jumping to 17 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a solid 2239, which is strong. Wind is glassy in the morning, and the afternoon sees a clean 8 ft SE swell with the same 17-second period, energy hitting 3023. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. That long period will make for some real nice, lined-up waves, but it's over 8 ft, so it’s for the crew who know what they’re doing. Keep an eye out for crowds, as Takegashima can get them sometimes.

Into Tuesday the 25th, the swell keeps pulsing with a big 12 ft SE swell, period 16 seconds, and energy sky-high at 5667. But, the wind swings cross-shore, which will put a bit of a bump on the face. Still, if you’re an expert, it’s massive. Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th stay huge at 12 ft, but the wind turns onshore or cross-on, making it a bit of a battle. The energy is enormous (over 5000 to 6300), but the quality drops. This setup is more for the dedicated charger than a casual paddle.

The very end of the run, from the 29th of August into September, just falls apart. Strong winds, rain, messy conditions, and the swell either drops or gets shredded by the wind. Not worth paddling out.

For the first break, Takegashima is a reef setup, so that long-period groundswell on the 24th will be a treat – it’s best on reefs and points, not beach breaks. The water temperature is 83°, which is about 1° above the long-term average, so it’s just a touch warmer than usual for this time of year.

Bottom line: the first week is a write-off. The real action is Monday the 24th of August, with that clean, powerful SE groundswell. That’s the one to mark on your calendar. The rest of the big stuff is for experts only, and the wind gets messy. Keep your eyes on that Monday window.

Rusty.

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