Tenia Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Tenia (Big Island) for the next couple of weeks. Let’s just say, we’re gonna have to be patient. This isn’t a week for heroics; it’s a week for picking your moments.

The opening stretch is a real grind. There’s a pulse of energy, but it’s all tangled up in messy winds. For the first several days, it’s a write-off for anything clean. We’re looking at lumpy, cross-choppy conditions with onshore winds. You’ll see the swell showing 10ft, but it’s poor surf conditions and not worth the paddle-out. The energy is there, with readings in the thousands (5278, 4431), but it’s all over the place. It ain't pretty.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn't show until the 18th of September, but even then, it’s a washout. We’ve got a 10ft SSW groundswell with a 13-second period and a big energy reading of 3147, but that fresh cross-onshore is going to shred it to bits. It’s all just chunky and lumpy. The 19th is similar, with 8ft and 8ft SSW swells, but again, it’s cross-on and chopped up. Not for the faint of heart, and honestly, not for anyone looking for a clean ride.

We do get a window on the 20th of September. It’s still cross-on, but it backs off a touch. An 8ft SSW swell at 17 seconds and a moderate breeze. The period is long, so it’ll be powerful and lined up, but the wind is still going to mess with the surface. It’s a two-out-of-ten day, but it might be the best of a poor bunch in that first week. You’re looking for a corner or a ledge that offers a bit of shelter.

Then the forecast really opens up the second week. After a period of smaller, weaker surf, things start to get interesting around the 23rd of September. We see a 10ft S swell with a 12-second period and a solid energy reading of 4804. But the wind, it’s still cross-shore and a bit lumpy. It’s a tease, a real promise of things to come.

The standout window, the one you should be circling on your calendar, is the 24th and 25th of September. This is where it all comes together. On the 24th, we have 6ft SSW swell, a 15-second period, and the wind switches to a gentle cross-offshore. For the first time in days, the description reads "clean." That’s the word we’ve been waiting for. It’s a reef break, so that long period is going to wrap in nicely and offer some proper shape.

The 25th carries that promise. SSW swell at 6ft and a 16-second period, with a moderate cross-offshore breeze keeping things clean. There’s a chance of showers, which could add a little texture to the sky, but the ocean is the real show. This is your window. A long-period groundswell, clean conditions, and a well-exposed reef. It’s going to be good, but expect some crowds because it’s been flat for so long and this is the clear standout of the whole fortnight.

After that, things fade out. The swell drops off and the winds get messy again. A few clean-ish moments on the 26th, but the energy is gone. Don’t plan your life around it.

So, the long story short: the first six to seven days are a complete mess. Then we get a couple of so-so days with waves but iffy winds. The real magic is the 24th and 25th of September, and that’s where you want to be. It’s not looking huge, but it’ll be clean, powerful, and the best surf we’ve had. Just don’t hold your breath for the rest of it.

Stay salty.

Rusty

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