Waimanalo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is a tough one to call. We’re looking at Waimanalo for the next 16 days, starting July 11th.

Right off the bat, the wind is the main problem. It’s hammering out of the ENE at 25 to 25 mph most of the time, which is just onshore and messy. The swell itself is there – running 5 to 7 feet from the ENE – but it’s short-period stuff, around 7 seconds, which means it’s weak and lacks any punch. The combined swell energy hits moderate levels (400 to 516 in the early days), but it doesn’t matter when the wind is so strong and the waves are so choppy. Every single report says "poor surf conditions." There’s nothing to chase here.

The water temp is about 79°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, but again, that’s not the problem.

We get a slight let-up around July 15th and 16th, with the wind dropping to a cross-onshore 9 to 15 mph, but the swell drops too, down to 3 to 4 feet, and the period stays at 6 to 7 seconds. The energy drops to 132 to 176, which is weak. It’s still not worth a paddle.

The whole second week is more of the same. The wind stays onshore, the swell hangs around 5 to 6 feet, and the period remains short. By July 21st, the energy spikes to 617, but it’s accompanied by fresh cross-onshore winds and lumpy conditions. The forecast just never turns the corner.

Because Waimanalo is a fairly consistent break, this is a real bummer. It’s one of those stretches where the ocean has plenty of energy, but the wind is just ruining it. For a beginner, those 5 to 7 foot days with onshore wind are going to be a washing machine. For anyone else, it’s just not worth it.

Honestly, with this constant onshore wind and short-period swell, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. There’s nothing here for us.

Rusty.

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