Trestles (Uppers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a grim stretch ahead. We’re looking at a solid 16-day block with very little to get excited about. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly rubbish, and the energy just isn’t there. You’ll be waiting a long time for anything that even gets close to a proper wave.

The only break on the radar is Trestles (Uppers). It’s a reef and point set-up that’s very consistent and exposed to the west, but that doesn’t mean much when there’s no swell. The water temp is sitting at 76° right now, which is a whopping 9° warmer than it should be for this time of year – that’s incredibly unusual and we’ve got a proper warm pool in there.

The first few days are a dead loss. Monday the 3rd through to Wednesday the 6th of August, we’ve got tiny 1 ft to 2 ft SW swell with periods all over the place, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore. The combined energy is weak, rarely breaking 190 (190). It’s just poor surf conditions, flat and choppy.

Thursday the 7th of August sees a slight bump in period up to 19 seconds, which is a proper long-period groundswell, but it’s only 2 ft. The energy jumps a bit, hitting 411 (411) on Friday morning, but it’s still onshore wind. That long period with that tiny height is just going to be a slow, weak bump at a point break like Uppers – not what you want.

From Saturday the 8th through to Sunday the 16th of August, we get a bit more consistency in the swell direction, but it’s still 3 ft to 3 ft max. The energy picks up into the moderate range, hitting 653 (653) on Friday the 14th of August afternoon, but the wind is a persistent cross-onshore from the W or WSW. The forecast notes are all “poor surf conditions” or “marginal” at best. The only time we see a score of 1 out of 10 is on Sunday the 9th and then Thursday the 14th through Saturday the 15th, and even then it’s just “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” The wind is never offshore, which is a killer for a point break.

The final days, from Monday the 17th of August to Tuesday the 18th, fade back into tiny 1 ft to 3 ft junk with light onshore breezes and weak energy down to 200 (200). It’s a total washout.

The only standout – and I use that term loosely – is the late window on Friday the 14th of August through Saturday the 15th of August. The swell height creeps up to 3 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is strong, hitting 653 (653) on Friday afternoon. The wind is a cross-onshore breeze, not ideal, but it’s the best we’ve got. For a reef and point, that long period swell will wrap in, and the cross-offshore component might clean it up a bit for the more experienced crew. It’s strictly for advanced surfers – 3 ft at Uppers with a bit of push can be a fun, fast wall. But don’t expect perfection. Crowds are always an issue here, so expect a full parking lot.

For the rest of it? Honestly, the setup is so weak and windy that this spot looks more interesting for a kite session than a paddle-out. The beach elements will be blown out, but the point might offer some wind lines for the foilers.

Stay patient, check the charts, and maybe pick up a new board. This is a long, flat run.

Rusty.

Read more