Trestles (Uppers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’re looking at a pretty frustrating stretch ahead for Trestles (Uppers). The pattern is set in with a lot of onshore and cross-onshore winds messing up what could be some decent pulses. The good news? There’s consistent swell energy hanging around, but the wind just won’t play ball for most of the period.

The water is currently sitting at 73° on Tuesday morning, which is a massive 6° warmer than the long-term average for this time of year. That’s very unusual – the ocean feels like a bathtub out there.

Right off the bat, Tuesday morning (21st July) has a clean 3 ft swell from the SSW with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is moderate (712). The problem is the wind is onshore from the SW, leaving it marginal. The afternoon gets worse as the wind swings WNW and picks up – choppy and poor.

Wednesday and Thursday (22nd & 23rd) are more of the same. The swell bumps up to 4 ft on Thursday morning from the S, with a solid 12-second period and moderate energy (688), but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, killing the quality. Afternoons are all poor.

The first real standout comes on Friday the 24th in the morning. The swell drops to just 2 ft, but the period jumps to a very long 24 seconds from the SW, and the combined energy is moderate (939). That’s a proper groundswell pulse. The catch is a cross-onshore wind from the SSW, so it’s still marginal. That long-period swell will be a bit tricky at a beach break, but since Trestles is a reef and point, it could actually line up nicely. The afternoon looks too small.

Saturday the 25th offers a brief window: morning is clean with a light onshore breeze and a 3 ft, long-period 21-second SSW swell (813 energy). It’s marginal, but the tide might be kind. Sunday the 26th through Monday the 27th keep the swell around 4 ft to 4 ft from the SW/SSW with periods of 18-19 seconds – solid energy (873 to 1099) – but the wind is always cross-onshore from the SSW or WSW. These are days where you’d be out there, but don’t expect perfection.

The best bet in the whole outlook is Monday the 27th in the morning. You’ve got 4 ft of SW swell with an 18-second period and strong energy (1099). The wind is cross-onshore from the SSW, which is a bit of a compromise, but for this forecast, it’s the most powerful and well-shaped option. This is a point-break swell, so it should hold up nicely. Expect crowds, as it’s always busy here.

After that, Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th are marginal again with similar sizes and cross-onshore winds. The energy starts to drop off after the 28th.

Then we hit a real gap. From Thursday the 30th through to the weekend, the swell fades. Thursday and Friday the 31st have poor, messy conditions with tiny waves. Friday afternoon (31st July) does see a spike to 6 ft from the S with a 14-second period and very strong energy (1394), but the wind is cross-onshore from the W. That’s a lot of power, but the wind will ruin it – likely a choppy, blown-out mess. It could be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The first week of August is a write-off. Saturday the 1st to Wednesday the 5th is a long, flat, poor stretch with tiny swell (1 ft to 3 ft) and mostly cross-onshore winds. There’s a few days of moderate energy on the 3rd and 4th, but the period is short and the wind is solidly onshore. Nothing to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Monday 27th July morning. It’s not perfect, but it’s the strongest, cleanest-looking window in the 16 days. The rest is a battle with the wind. Enjoy it while you can.

Rusty.

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