Yonabaru Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be honest: the next week and a half at Yonabaru is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing special, with the first true glimmer of hope not arriving until late in the game.

The pattern starts with a real dud. From Friday the 11th right through to Monday the 14th, we’ve got weak, messy swell and onshore winds. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there. It’s just a flat, choppy mess. The swell energy is weak, barely cracking 100-200 (162) on Friday, and the wind is on it or cross-onshore. There’s nothing to get excited about for a solid week.

Tuesday the 15th through Thursday the 17th doesn’t get much better. We see a bit of a bump in energy, with the combined energy sitting in the low 200s (237) on Tuesday, but the wind is still cross-onshore, keeping it choppy and uninviting. The swell is tiny and the period is short, so you’re just bobbing around.

Now, a shift comes around the 18th and 19th. Swell energy starts to ramp up hard, hitting 646 on Friday the 18th afternoon and then a massive 3258 on Saturday the 19th. That’s a strong pulse of energy, but it comes with a heavy cross-shore wind. By Sunday the 20th, the swell is 10ft from the ESE with a long period of 16s, and the energy is a beastly 5056. But the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-shore, making it lumpy and only marginal. This is a solid, powerful swell, but the wind is a killer for clean surfing. At 10ft, it’s strictly for the experts, and even then, it’s a battle.

The real standouts, the only ones worth circling, are on Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th. On Friday the 25th, the wind goes glassy – a light breeze from the east and east-northeast. The swell is 4ft from the SE with a nice 14s period, and the energy is a solid 548. The conditions are described as “glassy” and “expect good surf conditions.” This is the one. It’s clean, it’s got some push, and the offshore wind will make it smooth. The crowd could be a factor though, as Yonabaru is sometimes busy, so get there early.

Saturday the 26th, the swell jumps to 10ft from the ESE with a 14s period, and the energy is a massive 3465. That’s a lot of power, but the wind switches to a light cross-on, which will put some ripples on the face. Still, for the experienced crew, that’s a big, powerful wave to play with. It’s big, so leave the foamie at home.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off. The best bet by a long shot is Friday the 25th for clean, fun waves on the glassy morning. Saturday the 26th offers a big, powerful swell for the experts, but it won’t be as clean. Don’t waste your time before that.

Rusty.

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