Uchiumi Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Uchiumi over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, this is a tough stretch. The forecast is a real mixed bag, and the first ten days or so are pretty much a write-off for paddle surfing. The biggest issue is the wind – strong, cross-onshore, and onshore winds are the story for most of the first week and a half, and when you combine that with some massive, dangerous swell, it’s just not worth paddling out. The first true standout doesn’t come until over a week away, so we’ve got a bit of a wait.

The trouble starts straight away. From Thursday the 6th of August through most of the following week, the swell is just too big for Uchiumi – we’re looking at 12 ft to 23 ft faces with a very long period of 15 seconds. That’s an enormous amount of energy (combined energy of all swells: 12,634 to 37,628), and it’s coming from the ESE. The wind is a strong breeze from the NE and ENE, over 25 mph, making it a cross-onshore or onshore mess. This is for experts only, and the conditions are dangerous. The water temp is a warm 85°F, which is about average for the time of year.

Moving into the weekend, the swell drops to around 10 ft, but the wind is still a fresh breeze from the E (22 mph) and the surf is lumpy and poor. Sunday sees a bit of rain and a shift to a S swell at 5 ft with a 12-second period, but the wind is still cross-onshore and fresh. It’s a poor outlook.

The beginning of the second week (Monday 10th to Wednesday 12th of August) is still marginal. We’ve got small, weak swell (3 ft to 4 ft, combined energy under 700) and persistent cross-onshore winds. The word “marginal” is the best you’ll get, and even that’s generous. It’s choppy and not worth the paddle.

Then, we get a bit of a glimmer. On Thursday the 13th of August, the wind drops to a light breeze, and the swell is around 5 ft to 5 ft from the east with a 10-12 second period. The conditions are still described as marginal, but it’s a step in the right direction. The wind is onshore early and then cross-onshore in the afternoon, so it’s not clean.

Friday the 14th of August is another poor day with a moderate breeze ruining the 5 ft swell.

But here’s the one true standout for the whole period. Saturday morning, the 15th of August. The wind goes glassy – a light, variable breeze from the north at just 3 mph. The swell is a clean 6 ft from the east with a 10-second period, giving a combined energy of 825. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is your best shot. It’s the only morning in the entire sixteen days where the wind is totally glassy, offering clean, lined-up waves. Uchiumi is a reef break, so that east swell with a decent period should wrap in nicely. The water temp is still warm, and the drop in wind makes it a real goer. It’s a Saturday, so expect a few locals out, but for the quality on offer, it’s worth it.

After that, the glassy window closes. Sunday the 16th of August brings a moderate onshore breeze and messy conditions. The last few days of the forecast (17th to 21st of August) see a return to onshore and cross-onshore winds, with the swell building back up to 8 ft to 10 ft. The combined energy jumps back up (1,313 to 2,935), but the wind is a moderate breeze, making it choppy and poor. This setup really looks more interesting for kite surfing than for paddle surfing, given the strong onshore winds and the size of the swell.

So, to be blunt: the first 10 days are a write-off. Saturday the 15th of August is your one clear window for a proper surf. After that, it’s back to onshore slop. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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