Trestles (Uppers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Trestles (Uppers). I gotta be straight with you – the first week and a half is a tough pill to swallow. We’ve got a long stretch of poor to marginal surf, with the wind messing things up most of the time. The real standout doesn’t show up until late in the game.

Right from the start, this forecast is a bit of a bummer. Tuesday the 18th kicks off with a weak 2ft SSW swell at 17 seconds, but the wind is a cross-on from the W at 9 mph, ruining any chance of clean lines. The water is a very warm 72°, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year. The combined swell energy is moderate (394), but it just doesn’t matter with the chop. The next several days, from Wednesday the 19th through to the end of August, are a real grind. Expect small, knee-to-thigh-high waves, mostly in the 2ft to 3ft range from the SSW and SW. The period is often well over 15 seconds, which is a groundswell, but with the wind frequently onshore or cross-on, it’s a messy, frustrating affair. The energy stays moderate (ranging from 172 to 482), but the quality is just not there. It’s the kind of stretch where you’re better off doing something else.

We finally start to see a light at the end of the tunnel as we move into the weekend. Saturday the 29th of August is the first day that raises an eyebrow. The swell picks up to 4ft to 4ft from the SSW, with a period of 16-17 seconds. The wind is still a light cross-on, so it won’t be glassy, but there’s finally some real energy in the water (744 to 795 – moderate to strong). It’s still marginal and not the best Trestles gets, but it’s a contender for the best session of the forecast. The optimum direction is W, and this is coming from the SSW, so it’s not exactly lining up perfectly, but it’s a solid south swell.

Sunday the 30th is another one to look at, with similar 4ft SSW swell, but the wind switches to a light onshore from the S at 9 mph in the morning, which is a bit of a letdown. The afternoon cleans up slightly with a light WSW, bringing the energy down a bit (539).

The real standout, the one to circle on your calendar, is the 28th of August. Friday afternoon shows a SSW swell at 2ft, but the period is a whopping 19 seconds and the combined energy jumps to 482. It’s not the biggest, but that long period groundswell could bring some unexpected, clean lines if the wind plays ball. It’s a bit of a gamble that far out, but it’s the most promising signal in the whole forecast.

From the 31st of August into the start of September, we’re back to small, marginal surf with the same cross-on wind pattern. The 2nd of September has a 2ft SSW swell with a 17-second period, giving a decent energy reading of 642, but again, the wind is a spoiler.

So, to wrap it up: the whole 16-day window is a test of patience. The best chance at a decent wave is Saturday the 29th of August, with that 4ft to 4ft SSW swell. It’s not a classic Trestles day, but it’s the best we’ve got. Friday the 28th is a wildcard worth keeping an eye on for the long-period potential. The rest is a lot of small, onshore mush. Hang in there.

Rusty.

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