Wailua/Horners Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you—this outlook for the next 16 days is a tough one. The only spot on the radar is Wailua/Horners, a reef break for the advanced crew, but it’s normally inconsistent, and this stretch is a write-off for proper surfing. We’re looking at a long gap of poor conditions, with nothing to get excited about until way out in the second week. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year, nothin’ unusual.

Starting from Wednesday the 22nd, right through to the end of July, it’s all "poor surf conditions" with a score of zero. Swell’s hanging around 4 ft to 7 ft, but it’s coming from ENE, which is the wrong direction for this break—it really wants a N swell. The period is short and rubbish, between 7 and 8 seconds, meaning weak, choppy lines. Plus, the wind is onshore and blowing a moderate 16 to 12 mph from the ENE, smashing any chance of clean faces. The combined wave energy sits between 376 and 763 through this period—moderate at best, but completely wasted.

There’s a little shift around Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th, where the swell period bumps up to 13-14 seconds (longer period groundswell) and the energy climbs to a strong 1051-1164, with heights around 5 ft to 6 ft from the E. But the forecast still says "poor surf conditions" or "marginal" at best. The wind is still onshore, 12 mph from the ENE, so it’s messy. This is one for the hardcore local who knows the reef, but for the rest of us, it’s a skip.

Things get a little interesting from Monday the 3rd of August onwards. The swell builds to a solid 7 ft to 8 ft from the E and ENE, with periods stretching to 9-14 seconds. The combined energy hits 1231 to 2551, which is strong to very strong wave energy. The wind eases to a gentle breeze at 12 to 9 mph, still onshore but lighter. The forecast is "marginal" with a score of 1 to 2, and even a 3 on Wednesday afternoon the 5th. That Wednesday arvo is the standout: 8 ft from the ENE at 13 seconds, a light onshore breeze of 6 mph from the E, and the energy at 1875. For a tricky reef like Horners, the long period (13 seconds) might make it a bit too straight for the beach breaks, but on the reef, it could wrap in with some shape. It’s still likely to be choppy, though, and the crowds can be a problem here—this spot gets busy often.

Come Thursday the 6th, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the ENE with a 12-second period and energy at 2224. That’s a powerful swell, but over 8 ft, so it’s for experts only. The wind is light and cross-onshore from the SE and ESE, only 6 mph, which might keep it from being totally blown out. Still, "marginal" is the call.

To be honest, this break is inconsistent and rarely breaks well, and the entire 16-day window is a blank run of poor to marginal surf. For a spot like Wailua/Horners, that’s not unusual. Don’t hold your breath—the forecasts can change, but right now, it’s looking grim. If the wind swings offshore, we might have a chance, but that’s not on the cards here.

Rusty.

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