Trestles (Lowers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what we've got lined up. Gotta be honest, it’s a slow dance. The first session with any real promise doesn't show up until Tuesday, August 25th, and even then, it's small and choppy. The whole 16 days is plagued by these light onshore and side-shore breezes that just won't let the wave face clean up. We get a little flicker of something bigger late in the first week and into the second, but the wind always seems to step in and gum it up. The wave energy is moderate throughout, sitting in that 400 to 900 range, but without good wind, it’s all just potential that never quite delivers.

Tuesday, August 25th: A tiny, long-period SW groundswell pushes through at about 2.3ft with a 16-second period. That long period means the sets will be lazy and slow, a real groundswell feel but not much push. The problem is a light onshore breeze from the SW. It’s not a gale, but it’s enough to ruffle the surface. Water temp is feeling about normal for the season. Nothing to rearrange your day for. The wave energy is moderate at 400.

Wednesday, August 26th: Swell picks up to a bit over 4.5ft from the South, with a period around 12 seconds. That’s got some more weight, but the wind is a gentle onshore from the S, leaving it choppy and messy. The combined energy hits 893, which is moderate, but the quality is just not there. A day for a splash in the whitewash, maybe.

Thursday, August 27th: A small improvement maybe. The swell drops back to 3.5-4ft from the S, and the wind is a little nicer, with some very light onshore breezes. The wave energy is moderate at 517 to 694. It’s still marginal, just a step up from flat but nothing to get excited about.

Friday, August 28th: This is the one that gets your attention, but you gotta read the fine print. The swell is tiny at 2.3-2.6ft, but it’s a super long-period groundswell from the SSW at 17-19 seconds. That period is very long, so those little waves will have a ton of energy for their size (wave energy up to 567). The problem is, this kind of long-period swell at a beach-and-reef setup like Trestles (Lowers) tends to stand up and break a bit too straight, like a wall. The wind is a light side-shore, so it won’t be clean but it won’t be a total mess either. For the surfer who wants to feel the grunt of a groundswell, this might be a unique session, but it’s not a user-friendly wave.

Saturday, August 29th through Tuesday, September 1st: A long stretch of small swell (2.3ft-4ft) from the SSW, with periods dropping from 17 seconds down to 13. The combined energy stays moderate. The wind is stuck in a pattern of light onshore and side-shore, keeping the surface bumpy. Water temp stays normal. This is the definition of “making do.” The only real hope is that the very long period stuff on the 28th showed there’s some energy in the water, but the wind pattern is just stubborn.

Wednesday, September 2nd through Friday, September 4th: Swell drops a bit more to 1.5ft-3.5ft, but the wind picks up. We get a moderate cross-shore breeze on the 2nd and 3rd, which will create a cross-chop and make it tough, but the period on the 3rd jumps to 20 seconds – very long. The combined energy climbs again on the 4th to 865. For an experienced surfer who can handle a bumpy, powerful wave, the 3rd and 4th might offer a few fun, grunty moments, but it’s a long way from glassy.

Saturday, September 5th through Monday, September 7th: The energy stays moderate (up to 835) with a consistent 3.5-4ft SSW swell, but the wind just keeps flipping between light onshore and side-shore. The 5th has a very light onshore breeze, which is about the cleanest we see all outlook. The swell direction is right in the sweet spot for Trestles’ optimum (SW). This is probably your best bet across the whole 16-day window. It’s still small, but the potential for a clean, fun little wave is there if the wind gods show a little mercy.

Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th: The swell completely fades out to a tiny 1.3ft-2.3ft, with long periods again but weak energy. The wind is light side-shore. The outlook just peters out. For an area that’s usually “very consistent,” this is a pretty flat and wind-blown run. It’s normal for this time of year to see these slow spells, but it’s still a bummer. Honestly, for the mid-period

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