CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Honolulu, HI Daily Water Report — August 27, 2026

For Thursday, August 27, the water is saying yes to surfers, sailors, and divers, while telling kayakers and casual boaters to wait for a calmer window. The trade winds are blowing a steady 7.5 to 11.8 knots from the east-northeast with gusts hitting nearly 29 knots by early afternoon. That’s a solid push for sailors, reflected in a 9.2 sailing score, but the same gusts will make a kayak feel like a bucking horse, especially with wind waves running 0.7 meters on a short 3-second period. The combined sea state sits around 1.4 meters, which is manageable for an experienced boater but not ideal for a relaxed day on the water. The 5.9 boating score says proceed with caution. Surfers are looking at a clean 1.16-meter south swell with a 12-second period, paired with a mostly clear sky and stable pressure. The 1.3-meter wave height at sunrise is the calmest of the day, but the incoming swell is well-organized and consistent. The 9.3 surfing score is hard to argue with, especially given the favorable wind direction for groomed faces. Divers should take note of the 0.07 mg/m³ chlorophyll reading, which indicates classic blue-water oligotrophic conditions — excellent visibility potential, though we only have a surface value. The 8.5 diving score reflects the low wind wave energy and warm 27°C water, which sits a full degree above the long-term average. That warmth is a pleasant anomaly worth acknowledging. This is the first day we’ve tracked conditions here, so we don’t have a recent baseline to compare against, but the solunar timing lines up respectably. The midday major period from 11:00 to 13:00 coincides with the strongest gust window, so anglers chasing the 7.2 fishing score should plan for early morning or evening, when the wind relaxes and the minor periods bracket sunrise and sunset. Looking ahead, the swell is expected to ease through the weekend, with waves dropping toward 1.2 meters by Monday and Tuesday. A rain chance creeps in Saturday and holds through Monday, but nothing looks heavy. Friday stays similar to today with a slight dip in wind strength. Best bet: Catch the south swell early with the low sun at your back, before the afternoon trades test your grip on everything from paddle to tiller.