Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. I’ve got the Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) forecast dialled in, and I’ll be real with you—it’s a rough stretch ahead. This exposed reef break is for advanced surfers only, and the conditions are fighting us every step of the way.

Right now, through the end of July and into the first week of August, we’re stuck in a rut. The wind is howling onshore or cross-onshore from the west and west-southwest, blowing at 12 to 19 mph, and with that comes a lot of bumpy, lumpy, or choppy water. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit, but that’s where the good news ends.

Starting Tuesday, July 28, through Thursday, July 31, we’ve got a mix of weak to moderate swell energy (542 to 1230) coming from the west and south-southwest, with chest-high waves around 3ft to 5ft. But the period is all over the place—short 6-second windswell, then long 15 to 18-second groundswell. The problem is the wind. It’s straight onshore, making everything a messy, blown-out rabble. The scores are all zeros. No good.

The first weekend of August doesn’t let up. Saturday the 1st has a bit more size at 4ft from the south-southwest, with moderate energy (1287 to 1504), but the wind is cross-onshore and lumpy. Sunday the 2nd sees a jump to 8ft from the west, but it’s short-period windswell (8 to 9 seconds) and the wind is still on or cross-onshore. That’s too big for beginners and, with the wind, it’s just a washing machine.

The rest of the first week of August is more of the same. Monday the 3rd has 7ft to 7ft waves from the west-northwest, but with a short 7-second period and fresh cross-onshore winds, it’s a close-out. The moderate energy (1017 to 1130) doesn’t help. From the 4th to the 7th, we see a slow drop in size back to 4ft to 5ft, but the swell is long-period (16 to 19 seconds) from the south-southwest, which on a reef break like this can be okay, but the wind is relentless. It’s cross-onshore 16 to 22 mph, creating fresh cross-onshore and lumpy conditions. The energy is moderate to strong (1289 to 2426), but that doesn’t matter when the wind is trashing it.

Now, the second week—August 8 through the 12th—shows the most size, but it’s still a fight. Saturday the 8th has 5ft to 6ft from the south with a long 14 to 20-second period, and the wind is onshore. The energy is strong (2523 to 2889). The real standout, if you can call it that, is late on Sunday the 9th and into Monday the 10th. The swell hits 6ft to 8ft from the south, with a very long 20-second period and strong to very strong energy (5228 to 6656). This is a legitimate groundswell pulse. But the wind is still directly onshore at 16 to 19 mph. For a reef break, that long period will create proper, powerful waves that are lining up, but the onshore wind will chop the face and make it incredibly difficult to surf. The period is so long it’s prone to being a bit too straight and fat for a typical beach break, so on a reef, it could still offer a thick wall. This is a call for serious experts only, and even then, it’s a gamble. It’s promising but very uncertain.

Honestly, for the entire 16-day window, there is not a single session I can recommend for a clean, fun surf. The wind is the killer. The water is average temp, but the conditions are persistently poor. If you’ve got a kite, this setup might look interesting for you, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long wait. A blank run like this is more normal for the area during this monsoon-influenced period, so don’t be too surprised. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d say give it a miss.

Rusty.

Read more