Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, gather 'round, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what we've got cooking.

Honestly, for the next two weeks, it's a tough slog. We're looking at Inside Reef (Hikkaduva) which is where we’d normally head for a reef set-up like this one, preferring that South-West swell. But the wind gods aren't playing ball. For most of the forecast, we're stuck with a persistent onshore or cross-onshore breeze from the west, which is going to mess with the surface. On top of that, the water temp is sitting at 82 °F, which is about average for this time of year. The forecast is littered with "poor surf conditions" labels, and you'll see why.

We kick off on Monday the 17th of August with tiny, weak waves. Early morning brings a 2 ft SSW swell with a clean 22-second period, but it's accompanied by a risk of thunderstorms and a moderate breeze that is onshore. The combined energy is moderate (958) but it's just not happening. That afternoon picks up a touch to 3 ft, but it’s still not enough to get excited about.

The rest of that first week, from Tuesday the 18th through to Friday the 21st, the swell bumps up to a solid 5 ft to 7 ft. That's a decent size for this spot, but look at the wind: it's all cross-onshore, swinging around from the W and WNW at 12 to 16 mph. The wave state is described as "moderate cross-onshore and choppy". There's plenty of energy—the combined energy peaks at around 3972 on Tuesday morning, which is strong—but the wind is just wrecking it. For an advanced reef break, that combo just doesn’t work; it’ll be a bumpy, frustrating paddle. Not one for beginners, that's for sure, but even for experts, the quality is going to be poor.

There's a bit of a pattern here. As we move into the second week, we see the swell hanging around the 4 ft to 5 ft mark, but the same story. Onshore and cross-onshore winds from the west just won't let up. The combined energy stays moderate, dropping into the hundreds. The strong energy we saw earlier is gone. By the 28th of August we're looking at a drop down to 3 ft. It's a blank run, plain and simple. This area just gets these long stretches where a decent swell and clean wind don't line up.

If you absolutely had to pick a window, keep an eye on the 17th of August morning. That 2 ft swell with a very long 22-second period from the SSW (which is bang on the optimum direction) and a period that long means it'll have good shape and power on a reef, even if it's small. The wind is the issue, but sometimes you can catch a lull. It's a long shot. Also, the morning of the 29th of August sees a 5 ft SSW swell (18-second period) but once again, a cross-onshore breeze ruins the party. The entire outlook is a bust for clean, rideable surf.

Truth is, for paddle surfing, this set-up looks more interesting for kite surfing than anything else. That cross-onshore wind and solid swell would be a dream for them.

This is Rusty, signing off. It’s going to be a long wait.

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