Tracks (Nanakuli) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get into it.

The big news is a solid long-period south swell that’ll really pulse toward the end of the run, but the immediate future is mostly small and underwhelming. We’ve got a gap right at the start: no real surf for the first few days to speak of. Things are pretty quiet until we hit the middle of next week.

Alright, let’s talk about the spot. We’re looking at Tracks (Nanakuli). It’s a consistent beach and reef setup that faces west. The water temp is sitting at 81°F, which is about average for this time of year.

Saturday (16th) and Sunday (17th) are best left for a swim. Tiny swell around 3 ft from the south, and though the winds are offshore, they’re howling at 25 mph. Strong offshore and clean, yeah, but with that wind it’s a battle to even paddle out. The wave energy is weak (250).

Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th aren't much better. We’re still looking at small 2-3 ft south swell. The winds ease up a bit to a moderate breeze, so it’s cleaner, but the energy is still pretty weak (367 on Monday morning). It’s surfable, but you’ll be scratching for anything decent.

Now, Thursday 20th... this is where we start to get a little glimmer. The wind goes glassy early, with the swell holding at 2 ft from the SW. It’s small, but the energy starts to climb a bit (288). Clean and smooth.

Then, Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd are sweet spots for the small-wave crew. We’ve got glassy conditions with a 2-3 ft SW swell. The period is getting nice and long (16-17 seconds), so it’s a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate now (over 300). For a small wave log or a fish, this is about as fun as it gets.

The standout, for my money, has to be Wednesday 26th August. This is the one to circle on the calendar. That south swell is going to pulse up nicely, with a 2 ft wave face but a *very* long period of 19 seconds. That’s proper groundswell. The wind will be moderate offshore in the afternoon, and the combined energy is a solid 684. It’s not huge, but that long period will give it some real push and shape. For a reef or a point, that’s your best shot at some lined-up, clean waves. Just be aware it’s a long-period south swell, so it’ll be a bit more suited to the reef sections than the beach.

Following that, Thursday 27th sees the swell bump up to 3 ft, again with 16-second period and moderate energy (643). Still a good call, but the wind is more cross-off and conditions are a touch more ordinary.

The last few days of the month (28th-30th) see the swell drop back down and the wind freshens up, so the quality fades out. The long-period energy is gone.

So, overall, for the next two weeks: don’t get your hopes up this week, grab a glassy small-wave session next weekend, and then really lock in for that Wednesday 26th. That’s the one with the most potential.

- Rusty

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