Trestles (Lowers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks. To be straight with you, it’s gonna be a bit of a slow grind. We’ve got a long stretch of small, lackluster surf ahead before things start showing a bit of life.

For the first week, from Wednesday the 9th right through to late September, it’s pretty quiet. The main event is Trestles (Lowers), a beach and reef setup that’s very consistent and exposed to the SW. The water’s sitting at 71°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a good three and a half degrees plus above average, so you can leave the thick suit at home.

The big problem is the wind. Nearly every session is a cross-on breeze, with speeds between 3 and 9 mph. This is keeping the ocean a bit rippled and messy, and the quality is low. The swell is small, generally between 1 ft and 3 ft, coming from the SW with a long period between 13 and 20 seconds. That period is promising for energy, but the combined energy is weak to moderate – we’re talking values like 442 to 635 in the early days – just not enough push to get those famous Lowers’ walls working properly. The call on the 9th is a bit of rain, making the conditions even less inviting.

There isn’t a single standout in this first stretch. The best you’ll get is Thursday morning the 10th and Friday morning the 11th, with 3 ft SW swell and a 16-17 second period, but that cross-on wind will ruin it for anything but a very patient surfer. It is a groundswell with a long period, which at a point-and-reef like Lowers should be good, but the size is just too small to make it worthwhile.

Now, we do start to see a few sessions with better potential in the second week. The mornings of Wednesday the 16th, Friday the 18th, Saturday the 19th, and Sunday the 20th all have combined swell energy creeping up into the 520 to 609 range – that’s a moderate push, but still with that frustrating cross-on wind. The swell size stays modest at 3 ft to 3 ft, but the period holds strong, mostly 16 to 18 seconds from the SSW and SW.

The best of a quiet bunch looks like Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th. Over those two days the swell is 3 ft from the SW, with a solid 18-second period and moderate energy (526 to 609). The wind is still a light cross-on from the SSW at 6 mph, which is at least manageable. The mornings show a bit more promise than the afternoons. But let’s be honest, with crowds listed as “always” at Lowers, and the surf being marginal, you’re gonna be fighting for scraps.

Don’t get too excited about the very end. The 24th of September has a glassy moment with a W wind at 3 mph, but the swell is only 2 ft and the period is short at 14 seconds. It’s a teaser.

All in all, this is a real waiting game. The swell direction is right for Lowers, and the consistent nature of the break means it won’t be flat, but the quality just isn’t there. You might get a few fun ones on the 19th or 20th if you’re local and don't mind the crowds and the small, rippled lines. Otherwise, give it a miss.

Rusty.

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