Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. This is a tough one to call.

To be straight with you, the next 16 days here look like a write-off for decent waves. We’ve got a lot of energy in the water, but the conditions are just plain nasty. The combo of stormy weather and strong, cross-onshore winds is going to make a mess of things right through the period. From the 4th of August all the way to the 19th, it’s pretty much a no-go.

The only spot in the frame is Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa). It’s a world-class reef setup that’s fairly consistent and loves a south-west swell, but the problem is the wind. We’re looking at a solid 15 mph to 19 mph breeze from the west and north-west for most of the run, which means choppy, blown-out lines. The swell energy is massive, but none of that matters when the wind is ruining the face.

In the first week, from the 4th to the 11th of August, every session is rated as poor. The swell is mostly 4 ft to 6 ft from the south and south-south-west, with very long periods over 15 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving, but it’s all cross-on and messy. The wind is just relentless.

The second week, from the 12th to the 19th, doesn’t get any better. The swell drops a bit, but it’s still mixed up with short-period stuff and long-period groundswells. The wind stays on the nose or cross-on. A couple of days around the 17th and 18th of August reach a marginal score, but with the wind still onshore or cross-on, it’s not worth paddling out for the average surfer.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Honestly, if you’re a kite surfer, this setup might look interesting. With that much wind and swell, you’d get some solid ramps. But for a paddle surfer? Save your energy. This is a blank run for the area, and it’s not unusual to see a stretch like this.

Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, I’d hang the board up.

Rusty.

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