Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks around Hikkaduwa.

Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – it's a rough run. We're looking at a long, dry spell of poor conditions. There's no surf worth paddling out for until maybe, just maybe, the tail end of the forecast. For the next week and a bit, it’s a write-off.

Starting from Friday the 3rd of July right through to at least Monday the 13th, it’s a consistent story of onshore or cross-onshore winds out of the West at 12 to 16 mph just shredding the surface. The surf is small to moderate, with swell heights bouncing between 3 ft and 7 ft, but it’s all spoilt by that wind and often a "risk tstorm" tag. The wave energy is moderate, climbing up to four-digit values (like 1775) but that doesn't mean anything when it's chopped up and messy. The spot is rated for advanced surfers only, and with that wind, even the experts will be fighting it. It’s a classic case of surf you watch from the beach.

The standout, really the only window, looks to be around Friday the 17th of July. We’ve got a bit of a pulse of longer-period swell pushing in from the SSW with a period hitting 18 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The swell height is up to 6 ft, and the combined energy jumps right up to 2230, which is strong. But here’s the kicker: the wind is still onshore from the WSW at 12 mph. For a reef break like Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) that needs the wind to be offshore from the ENE to be at its best, this is a tough one. The swell direction is SSW, which doesn’t match the optimum SW. Because of that long period and the onshore wind, it might end up a bit of a washing machine at the reef, and at 6 ft it’s pushing into too-big-for-beginners territory. It’s more of a hope than a guarantee. The weekend after that, the 18th, looks similar but dropping off.

So, bottom line: the first two weeks are a bust. The water temp is sitting at 84°F which is bang on average for the time of year, so at least you’ll be warm while you’re getting skunked. Keep your eyes peeled for that lift around the 17th, but don't hold your breath. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a long wait.

- Rusty

Read more