Inside Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this is a tough forecast for Inside Reef (Hikkaduva). We’re looking at a 16-day window that’s pretty much a write-off for decent paddle surfing. The issue is the wind. We’ve got a persistent moderate breeze from the west, blowing straight onshore or cross-onshore, turning what could be a fun swell into a messy, blown-out mess. The combined energy of all swells directed here is often in the very strong range, like 1322 (on Friday morning) and up to 3346 (on Tuesday 1st September), so there’s plenty of power in the water, but the wind is just ruining it. The water temperature is about 83°, which is pretty normal for the time of year, with the anomaly only 1° off.

Right, let’s walk through it. From Friday the 21st of August through the weekend, we’re seeing swell heights around 5ft to 6ft from the SSW and S, with long periods of 14 to 15 seconds, meaning proper groundswell energy. But the forecast is calling it “poor surf conditions” every single session, with a score of 0. The wind is mostly onshore, and on Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 30th it’s cross-onshore and choppy. With the swell over 5ft and those conditions, this is more of a kite surfing setup than a paddle one.

The swell drops a bit on Monday the 24th to 3ft, but the period is even longer at 17 seconds, which is very long. This kind of groundswell is best for a point or reef, but the onshore wind still kills it. The pattern continues all the way through to the end of August – moderate swell, long periods, but always that onshore wind.

There is a small window of interest on Thursday the 27th of August. The morning brings a solid 6ft from the SSW with a very long period of 18 seconds, and the combined energy is a massive 2507. The afternoon session is rated “marginal” with a score of 1. Still, the wind is onshore, so it’s not clean. Towards the end of the first week of September, we start seeing some bigger numbers – 8ft on Tuesday 1st September, 7ft on the 31st of August – but again, the wind remains onshore. At over 8ft, that’s expert territory anyway, but the conditions won’t be making it any easier.

The best of the bunch, and I mean the only thing that gets a pulse, is the Thursday the 27th of August morning session. The swell is a solid 6ft from the SSW, period 18 seconds, giving you very long lines of groundswell at a reef break that’s fairly consistent. It’s advanced, so you’ll need to be on your game. The wind is onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy, but the sheer size and energy (2507) mean there will be some waves to be had if you’re desperate. The crowds can be an issue here sometimes, but with conditions this average, it might be quieter than usual.

After that, we’ve got a gap of several days where nothing is recommended. The forecasts can change, but right now, it’s looking like a blank run for this part of the coast.

Rusty.

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