Wanjapu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Howdy, Rusty here. We’ve got a long stretch of swell headed for Wanjapu, but the wind’s gonna be the main story, and it ain’t always a good one. This exposed reef picking up southwest groundswell has plenty of juice over the next two weeks, but most of it’s gonna be bumpy or choppy. Water temp is 78°F, right about normal for this time of year, so no thick rubber needed.

The best session on the whole forecast is Wednesday morning 26 August. We got 6ft of SW groundswell with a 14-second period – that’s proper long-period energy – and combined wave energy is pumping hard at 1187, meaning there’s plenty of power. The wind is glassy, dead calm. That makes Wanjapu clean as a whistle. Those SW swells wrap right into this reef. It’s consistent, so the sets keep rolling. This is for experienced surfers only – 6ft on a reef with that period will be a proper ledge – and crowds can show up sometimes, so keep your head on a swivel.

Wednesday afternoon stays decent with the same height and period, but a light SE cross-shore creeps in, dropping the quality a little. Still worth a paddle if you missed the morning.

Thursday 27 August is smaller. Morning has 4ft SSW at 12 seconds, but that cross-on wind from the west makes it lumpy. Energy is moderate at 1108. Afternoon drops to 4ft with a longer 15-second period, but a stronger south cross-on breeze brings the chop – not the one.

Friday 28 August sees proper size but messy. Early morning has 8ft SW at a long 17 seconds, and energy has jumped to 4343 – serious power. But the cross-on 6 mph west wind ruins the face. Afternoon holds similar size with cross-on from the SSE, still choppy. Experts only, and not pretty.

Saturday 29 has 7ft SW at 16 seconds in the morning, 2183 energy, but cross-on wind from the west again. Rideable for the skilled crew, but far from perfect. Afternoon drops to 6ft with cross-shore SE wind hitting 12 mph, cross-chop building.

Sunday 30 fades to 5ft SW, 13 seconds. Morning actually picks up offshore wind from the SW – finally! – but notes say questionable conditions, energy down to 838. Not a total loss but nothing special.

Rolling into early September: Monday 31 has 4ft but a very long 19-second period (1424 energy), light cross-on wind. The next few days – Tuesday 1 Sept and Wednesday 2 – swell rebuilds to 7ft, solid SW groundswell with periods around 17-18 seconds, energy around 2700-3000. But mornings keep that cross-on light breeze, and afternoons get cross-shore winds up to 15-16 mph with a cross-chop. Consistent swell, but the wind never plays ball.

Thursday 3 and Friday 4 September are smaller – 6ft dropping to 4ft – and Saturday 5 is even weaker. Wind stays messy. A bit of a down period.

Sunday 6 September gets another pulse: 6-6ft SSW groundswell, 16 seconds, 1588-1715 energy. Light cross-on morning, afternoon cross-shore. Okay but not special.

Monday 7 is similar, 6ft SSW, 14 seconds, light cross-shore in the morning – actually not a bad call for a casual session.

Now, Tuesday 8 September – only 4ft, but a very long 21-second period! That’s deep groundswell. Energy is 1911, so there’s real power. Morning has light cross-on from the south, and for a reef like Wanjapu, that long-period stuff will draw clean, walling lines. Not big, but quality for the tube riders.

Wednesday 9 September is the other standout of the whole period. The morning throws up 8ft SSW, 17 seconds, energy at 3473, and the wind is a light cross-on from the WSW – still a little onshore but the lightest breeze, so the face holds. Afternoon is 8ft with the same period and light cross-on from the SSE, still rideable for experts. This is the biggest cleanest swell window of the second week.

Thursday 10 September closes it out with 7ft SW, 16 seconds, but the morning has that WSW cross-on again, and the afternoon picks up stronger SSE cross-on, making it choppy.

So the one to circle on the calendar is Wednesday morning 26 August – glassy, 6ft, heaps of energy, consistent reef. Wednesday morning 9 September is also worth a look – big, long-period, and light enough to be special. The rest of the run is mostly onshore or cross-shore mess, but there’s always a window if you’re keen.

Rusty.

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