Waimea Bay/Pinballs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you. The next few days are looking pretty grim for a wave at Waimea Bay/Pinballs. We’re staring down the barrel of a dry spell that runs from now all the way through to the 7th of September. The first few days are basically flat, with a tiny 0.7 ft swell from the west that’s just not gonna do anything. The wind is a stiff cross-off from the ENE, and the combined energy is a measly 11 to 31, which is basically nothing. This is a waiting game, plain and simple.

Come Saturday the 5th, we get a little pulse, but it's only 1 ft from the North-Northeast with a short period of 10 seconds. The energy is still weak at 31. It’s still not worth paddling out for.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Sunday the 6th in the afternoon. A 3 ft south-west swell starts to push through with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 204. It’s still a bit of a struggle, but it’s the first sign of life.

Monday the 7th is where it starts to get interesting. The swell holds at 3 ft from the SW, but the wind swings light offshore from the ESE in the afternoon. That’s clean. The energy is still moderate at 171, but those offshore winds are a major positive. The surf is still a bit ordinary, but it’s surfable.

But the real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Tuesday the 8th of September. That’s the day. The swell builds to 4 ft in the morning and hits 5 ft by the afternoon, still from the SW. The period stretches to 12 and then 13 seconds – that’s some proper groundswell. The combined energy goes from 347 in the morning to a strong 632 in the afternoon. The wind is light offshore from the east all day, which means glassy, clean conditions. This is the best on offer, no question. For a break like this, a 5 ft SW swell with long period and light offshore wind is a dream. The water temp is a balmy 80°, which is right on the money for this time of year.

After that, the swell backs off quickly. Wednesday the 9th is still surfable, but the wind kicks up to a cross-off 12 mph, and the energy drops to 482 in the morning and 251 in the afternoon. It’s a bit choppier. Then we slide back into a lull, with tiny, weak waves from the 10th through the 13th. The energy sits in the single digits to low double digits.

The second week shows a pulse on the 14th of September. A 4 ft swell from the NE with a 9-second period, moderate energy at 217, and some decent wind. It’s something, but not the standout of the 8th. The 15th and 16th are back to small, weak surf with short periods, mostly under 3 ft, and the energy fades out.

So, here’s the plan: sit tight, don’t bother with the first week until the 7th, and then absolutely clear your schedule for Tuesday the 8th. That’s the one.

- Rusty

Read more