Staying Home Sucks, home
Sunset at Samuel M. Spencer Beach Park, Waimea, Big Island, Hawaii
Near 69s. Photo: Christoph Strässler from Oberdorf BL, Schweiz, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

69s

Surf spot · United States

Is it worth the trip?

22Poor out of 100 for your dates

Stay home

Best on Mon 2: too small (3 ft swell at 8 s), 4 hours of offshore wind, sheltered (estimated): holds up in a blow

Each day of your trip, out of 100

Mon 2 · 36 out of 100

Swell
3 ft8 ssoft
Energy
84kJ
Wind
NE 9 kn
Temp
27°C

Tue 3 · 26 out of 100

Swell
2 ft8 scrumbling
Energy
56kJ
Wind
ENE 7 kn
Temp
27°C

Wed 4 · 12 out of 100

Swell
1 ft11 shollow
Energy
16kJ
Wind
ENE 3 kn
Temp
27°C

Thu 5 · 20 out of 100

Swell
1 ft13 shollow
Energy
56kJ
Wind
NE 5 kn
Temp
28°C

Fri 6 · 15 out of 100

Swell
1 ft12 scrumbling
Energy
36kJ
Wind
N 4 kn
Temp
28°C

Sat 7 · 15 out of 100

Swell
1 ft10 scrumbling
Energy
30kJ
Wind
NE 4 kn
Temp
26°C

Sun 8 · 13 out of 100

Swell
1 ft11 scrumbling
Energy
35kJ
Wind
NE 5 kn
Temp
28°C

Tap a day for waves, wind and the temperature. Full forecast

Forecast: next 10 days

Full forecast
  1. Sun 129, too small
  2. Mon 236, too small
  3. Tue 326, too small
  4. Wed 412, too small
  5. Thu 520, too small
  6. Fri 615, too small
  7. Sat 715, too small
  8. Sun 813, too small
  9. Mon 910, too small
  10. Tue 108, too small

The spot in five facts

  • Faces Wtakes swell from the W
  • Offshore: Ewind from the land
  • Beginner +who it suits
  • Works 3–14 ftof swell
  • Water 27 °Cno wetsuit

Full forecast

every day, every number
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at 69s, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 1Nov29, too small2 ft12 scrumbling3 ft at break (est.)80kJwind from the west-south-west, 2 knots26°C
Mon 2Nov36, too small3 ft8 ssoft3 ft at break (est.)84kJwind from the north-east, 9 knots, offshore27°C
Tue 3Nov26, too small2 ft8 scrumbling3 ft at break (est.)56kJwind from the east-north-east, 7 knots, offshore27°C
Wed 4Nov12, too small1 ft11 shollow2 ft at break (est.)16kJwind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore27°C
Thu 5Nov20, too small1 ft13 shollow3 ft at break (est.)56kJwind from the north-east, 5 knots, offshore28°C
Fri 6Nov15, too small1 ft12 scrumbling2 ft at break (est.)36kJwind from the north, 4 knots28°C
Sat 7Nov15, too small1 ft10 scrumbling2 ft at break (est.)30kJwind from the north-east, 4 knots, offshore26°C
Sun 8Nov13, too small1 ft11 scrumbling2 ft at break (est.)35kJwind from the north-east, 5 knots, offshore28°C
Mon 9Nov10, too small1 ft9 scrumbling1 ft at break (est.)25kJwind from the east-north-east, 8 knots, offshore27°C
Tue 10Nov8, too small1 ft12 s1 ft at break (est.)9kJwind from the north-east, 5 knots, offshore24°C

Energy is the swell's power, in kJ per metre of wave. Wind is in knots, the arrow where it blows to; green is offshore. More

Tide

  • Sun 1 NovLow 01:13 −0.2 mHigh 09:10 +0.4 mLow 16:58 −0.2 mHigh 22:41 −0.0 m
  • Mon 2 NovLow 02:59 −0.1 mHigh 10:20 +0.3 mLow 17:41 −0.2 mHigh 23:55 +0.1 m
  • Tue 3 NovLow 04:52 −0.1 mHigh 11:25 +0.3 mLow 18:17 −0.3 m

Local clock times; heights about mean sea level. On open coasts the times are usually within a quarter of an hour; in bays, estuaries and on the Gulf of Mexico they can be an hour or more out. Tide: EOT20 global ocean tide model, Hart-Davis et al. 2021, DGFI-TUM (doi:10.17882/79489), CC BY 4.0. Times and heights computed by us. A model, not a tide table: check a local table before you go.

Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.

Map

the spot, its town, photos

Each place wears its best day on these dates, a surf spot for intermediates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Photos of 69s

Spencer Beach, Samuel M. Spencer Beach Park, Waimea (504685)
Near 69s. Photo: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Spencer Beach Park Big Island
Near 69s. Photo: AlaskaDave, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Samuel M. Spencer Beach Park, Waimea (504686)
Near 69s. Photo: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

More surf near here

2 places

About

the place in full, sources, credits

About 69s

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.

The spot faces W (272°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (92°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 3–14 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 50). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 25°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Kawaihae. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).

Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,350–US$2,510 each

about US$1,350–US$2,510 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, taxi, stay, food, board and wetsuit.

Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.

How we worked it out 
Rough cost per person for this trip
WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to KOA, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bagabout US$469–US$978
Taxiairport and back, sharedabout US$87–US$147
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, sharedabout US$301–US$502
Food7 days eating outabout US$342–US$636
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about US$114 to fly your ownabout US$147–US$241
Totalabout US$1,350–US$2,510

For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.

Where to stay: 3 towns

Closest

Kawaihae

5 min by car

about US$114/nightcountry average

See places to stay in Kawaihae · Booking.com

About Kawaihae its beds, food and every spot near it

Nearest town: Kawaihae, 3 km (about 5 min by car)

About US$114 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.

Getting there: about 12h 30m

About 12h 30m door to door from Chicago

Fly ORD → KOA, direct, then 1h by road

An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.