Trestles (Uppers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Trestles (Uppers). This is a reef and point set-up, very consistent, and it loves a good W swell. The water’s runnin’ a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, about 71°, which is noticeably above average.

First things first, the next few days are pretty bleak. Thursday morning, August 20, has a weak 3 ft SSW swell out of the southwest with a period of 14 seconds, but the energy is weak (334) and the wind is on it from the SW. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” and I’m not feeling it. That carries right through until about Wednesday, August 26. There’s a solid stretch of poor to marginal conditions, with swell sizes hanging around 1 ft to 3 ft and cross-onshore winds messin’ up the surface. Honestly, it’s a bit of a write-off for paddle surfing.

Now, things start to look a little more interesting from Wednesday morning, August 26. The swell picks up to 4 ft from the S with a period of 13 seconds, and the energy climbs to 884, which is moderate. The wind is a light cross-onshore breeze, so it’s not perfect but it’s a step up. By Wednesday afternoon, the swell hits 5 ft from the S, period still 13 seconds, and energy jumps to 1046 – that’s moderate-to-strong energy. The wind goes light and onshore from the SW, which could be glassy. The rating improves to a 3 out of 10, so this is the best of a so-so bunch.

Thursday, August 27, has a 4 ft to 5 ft SSW swell, but the wind is picking up and cross-onshore, making it rough. Friday, August 28, morning has a 5 ft SSW swell with light onshore wind (SW), which could be clean for a bit. The energy is still strong (837), but the period drops to 12 seconds, so it’s a shorter-period swell. Not a standout.

The standout for the whole period is that Wednesday afternoon, August 26, session at Trestles (Uppers). It’s got a solid 5 ft S swell, moderate-to-strong energy (1046), and the wind is light and onshore. The swell direction isn’t the ideal W, but S has some merit here due to the point’s exposure. The crowd is always an issue – it’s Uppers, so expect it to be packed. But for this long run of poor conditions, that’s about as good as it gets. For the rest of the run through to early September, the swell drops back to 2 ft to 4 ft, with cross-onshore winds, and the ratings are low. It’s a flat spell with a brief pulse of power in the last week of August.

If you’re a beginner, the 5 ft swell is probably fine, but anything over 5 ft will be too much. With the waves mostly under that mark, it’s okay. But the lack of quality and clean wind means it’s a tough call. Kite surfers might find the stronger wind days in late August more interesting than paddlers.

Keep an eye on that Wednesday, August 26, afternoon. It’s the only real glimmer in the 16 days.

Rusty.

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