Trestles (Lowers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – we’ve got a long stretch ahead and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The only spot on the radar for the whole 16-day run is Trestles (Lowers). It’s a very consistent, exposed beach and reef setup, and it loves swell from the SW. The water temp is sitting at 76°F right now, which is a full 9°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s freakishly warm, so don’t bother with anything more than a spring suit.

The first week is pretty much a write-off. We start on Wednesday the 5th of August with a weak 2ft SW swell, but it’s crossed up by a 9 mph W wind, and the combined energy is a weak 171. The wave comment is "poor surf conditions," and the score is a zero. Honestly, not worth paddling out for.

Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th stay tiny, with 2ft to 2ft SSW swell, but at least the wind is light onshore or cross-on, so it’s not completely blown out. The energy starts to build on Friday morning, hitting 470, but it’s still a 2ft swell with a 19-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell, which means it’ll be fat and straight at a beach break like this. Not great for Trestles. Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are more of the same – 3ft to 3ft swell, light cross-onshore winds, and the wave comment stays "poor." The energy is moderate, sitting between 325 and 441, but the quality just isn’t there.

Monday the 10th through Wednesday the 12th are still marginal. The swell drops a bit, but the wind stays light and onshore. We do see a 20-second period on Monday afternoon, but the swell is only 2ft, so it’s all bark and no bite. The combined energy peaks at 428, but again, it’s just not clean.

Now, things get a little more interesting heading into the second week. Thursday the 13th still looks poor, but Friday the 14th of August is the first real standout. We’ve got a 3ft to 3ft SSW swell with a 19-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 857 – that’s solid moderate-to-strong energy. The wind is light and cross-on from the W, so it’s not glassy, but it’s workable. The wave comment shifts to "marginal," which is the best we’ll see. Given the long period, Trestles can handle it, but it might break a bit straight. Still, this is the best on offer in the entire window.

Saturday the 15th holds similar energy, with a 3ft to 4ft SSW swell and combined energy around 796. The wind is a bit stronger from the W at 9 mph, but it’s still cross-on. The swell is small enough to be fun for intermediates, but the long period (16 seconds) means you’ll be waiting for sets.

After that, it fades again. Sunday the 16th through Tuesday the 18th drops back to 2ft to 3ft, with light to moderate cross-onshore winds. The energy drops to the 250-400 range, and the wave comment is back to "poor." Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th are the same story – small, weak, and not worth the paddle.

If you’re a beginner, most of this is fine as the swell rarely cracks 3ft, but the long-period energy on the 14th might be a bit tricky. For experts, there’s nothing over 8ft, so it’s all manageable. Honestly, the only real window to get wet is Friday the 14th and maybe Saturday the 15th. The rest is a long gap of flat-ish, poor conditions. It’s not a total blank, but it’s close. Forecasts can change though, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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