Waiwakaiho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m gonna be straight with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag. We’re looking at a solid run of energy coming through, but the wind is gonna be the main character in this story for a while. Let’s get into it.

The first few days of the forecast window are a write-off, but from Saturday the 1st of August, things start to look up. We’ve got a big pulse of WSW groundswell rolling in, with a long period of 13 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and it’s gonna be peeling clean with a fresh offshore breeze from the SE. The combined energy is pumping at 3201 (moderate to strong) – you can feel that in the water. The swell is 10ft, so this is for the experienced crew only. This is a standout window. Waiwakaiho (sandbar) is the spot, and it’s fairly exposed to that WSW direction. The water temp is sitting at 58°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

By Saturday afternoon, the swell drops to 8ft, but the wind is still clean offshore from the SE at 15 mph. The energy is still strong at 1911 (moderate), and the period holds at 13 seconds. This is still a very good afternoon session for the more experienced surfers.

Sunday the 2nd of August is a much smaller day – swell drops to 5ft, but the wind goes glassy in the afternoon. The period drops to 10 seconds, so it’s a bit weaker, but the clean conditions will make it fun for a longboard or a fish. The energy is down to 410 (weak), so it’s all about the glassy surface.

Monday the 3rd is a tough one. The swell is small at 4ft, but the period is a massive 19 seconds – that’s very long-period groundswell. At a sandbar, that can often break too straight, so it’s not ideal. The cross-shore wind is 18 mph, making it lumpy. The energy is moderate at 1580, but the conditions are messy. This is a pass.

Tuesday the 4th of August is a better call. The swell is still 4ft, but the period is 16 seconds, and the morning has a clean light offshore breeze from the S. The energy is moderate at 1488. This is a good, clean session for the more experienced, but the swell is a bit small to get excited about.

The next standout is building towards the end of the first week. Wednesday the 5th of August has a 5ft swell from the WSW with a 13-second period. The morning has a clean offshore breeze from the SE at 12 mph. The energy is 871 (moderate). This is a really good, clean session for intermediates and up.

Thursday the 6th of August is a fade. Swell drops to 2ft, and the energy is weak at 178. Not much going on.

Friday the 7th of August sees a new pulse of swell from the NW, but the period is a short 8 seconds. The swell is 7ft, and the energy is 672 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but the short period means it’ll be a bit choppy and less powerful. Still a fun session for the experienced.

Things get a bit unreliable after that. There’s some energy mid-month, but the winds are messy. The 12th of August has a clean offshore breeze and a 5ft swell from the W with a 13-second period. The energy is 1759 (moderate) – that’s a good session. The 14th of August has a 8ft swell from the WSW with a 12-second period, and the afternoon is clean with a light breeze. That’s for the experienced only, and it’s a bit far out, so keep an eye on it.

Overall, the best bets are the Saturday and Sunday sessions (1st and 2nd of August), and the Wednesday morning on the 5th. The water is average temp for this time of year, so no stoke or shock there. Crowds are possible at Waiwakaiho – it’s a popular spot, and when the waves are good, it’ll be busy.

Stay patient, and keep your eyes on the wind.

Rusty

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