Trestles (Lowers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna lie to you – the next sixteen days at Trestles (Lowers) are a proper grind. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly junk, and we’re looking at a massive run of what I’d call “don’t bother” surf. The first real chance to even get a wetsuit on comes on Friday morning, August 7th, but don’t get your hopes up.

We kick off Friday morning, August 7th, with a bit of long-period SSW groundswell at 19 seconds, but it’s only 2ft. The energy is moderate (449), but the wind is a light cross-onshore from the WSW. That’s a messy combo for a break that needs it clean. Still, the water is a warm 75°F, which is a freakish 8°F warmer than normal – that’s very unusual, you’ll be sweating in your springsuit. The rest of that day and all of Saturday, August 8th, is just poor, with cross-onshore winds and even smaller waves.

Sunday morning, August 9th, the wind swings offshore from the WSW, which is a plus, but the swell is a pathetic 3ft with a short period of 15 seconds. The energy is moderate (320). It’s clean, but there’s nothing to ride. Monday and Tuesday, August 10th and 11th, are equally marginal – tiny waves with the odd offshore moment, but it’s a long paddle for a waist-high lump.

Honestly, through the middle of the week, the pattern is grim. The wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, the swell hovers between 2ft and 3ft, and the energy stays weak to moderate. This is a beach and reef set-up, and with this kind of weak, short-period swell, it’s just not going to shape up. There’s a gap of several days here where I can’t even give you a half-decent recommendation – it’s a blank run.

The only period that even hints at life is the weekend of August 15th and 16th. Saturday morning, August 15th, the swell picks up to 3ft from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds, and the energy is strong (672). But the wind is a cross-onshore W at 9 mph, so it’s going to be bumpy. Saturday afternoon sees the swell hit 4ft, but it’s still cross-onshore and choppy. Sunday, August 16th, has a similar story – 4ft SW swell with a 15-second period, but the wind is onshore from the WSW, so it’s messy.

The standout? There isn’t one. I’m scraping the barrel here. If I had to pick a session, it would be Sunday morning, August 16th, simply because the wind is offshore (WSW at 9 mph) and the swell is 4ft from the SW. The energy is moderate (562), and the long period (15 seconds) means there’s a bit of push, but it’s a groundswell – it might break a bit straight at this beach-reef set-up. It’s not good, it’s just the least bad. The crowds here are always a factor, but with surf this poor, even Lowers might be quiet.

By the second week, from August 17th onward, it’s the same old story. Swell hangs around 3ft, wind is cross-onshore, and the energy stays moderate. It’s a long, frustrating stretch. For a spot that’s usually very consistent, this is a flat spell that’s hard to stomach. If you’re a kite surfer, that cross-onshore wind and weak swell might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a dry spell. Stay patient, mate. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

Read more