Trestles (Uppers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ our way.

Overall, the pattern for this 16-day stretch is a long, drawn-out run of small, marginal surf. There’s no real kicker in the first week, just a lot of knee- to waist-high slop with a constant cross-onshore wind keeping things bumpy. The standout period, if you could call it that, is the very end of the run – the first weekend of August. That’s where we see a bit more size, but it’s still not world-class.

Let’s start with what’s on offer. The first solid recommendation comes on Sunday, July 19th afternoon at Trestles (Uppers). It’s a reef and point break, and it’s very consistent. The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the SW, with a 17-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell, which will give nice, lined-up waves peeling down the point, but only small ones. The water temp is 71°, which is a whopping 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s much warmer than normal, so you’ll be in a spring suit or maybe just a rashie. The wind is WSW at 6 mph, a light cross-on, which is a bit of a pain. The combined energy is weak, at 841 (moderate energy). It’s not great, but it’s a start.

Moving through Monday, July 20th, the morning is clean with a light onshore from the SW at 6 mph, but the swell is only 3 ft from the SSW. The afternoon picks up a touch to 3 ft from the SW, but the wind swings W at 6 mph, cross-on again. The level stays similar through Tuesday and Wednesday, with waist-high waves and constant light cross-onshore winds. The combined energy bounces between 464 and 862, all weak to moderate.

Thursday, July 23rd, shows a bump to 5 ft from the S, with a 13-second period. The morning is clean with a light onshore, but the afternoon gets a WNW cross-on at 9 mph, making it choppy. The energy hits 862, still moderate.

Now, Friday, July 24th – this is a bit of a tease. The morning has a tiny 2 ft swell, but look at the period: 24 seconds! That’s a very long-period groundswell, and the energy is 1154 (strong). This is the kind of set-up where the point at Trestles will produce some really long, clean walls, but the size is tiny. The wind is a light cross-on from the SSW at 9 mph. It’s a case of quality over quantity – you’ll be waiting for the sets, but the waves that come will be beautiful.

Saturday, July 25th, and Sunday, July 26th, see a similar pattern: 3 ft to 3 ft swells, long periods between 18 and 21 seconds, and light onshore winds. The energy is moderate to strong (711 to 1044). These are the days where the early morning glass-off might give you a few good ones, but the size is really small.

The best of the run, and the only true standout, is Saturday, August 1st. The swell jumps to 6 ft in the morning and 6 ft in the afternoon, both from the SSW. The period drops to 13-14 seconds, so it’s a shorter-period swell, but it has some punch. The wind is light cross-on in the morning and light onshore in the afternoon. The combined energy is high: 1090 in the morning and 1041 in the afternoon (strong). This is the biggest swell of the window. It’s over 5 ft, so it’s not for beginners, but it’s still manageable for intermediates. The crowd at Trestles is always a problem, so expect a packed lineup. This is the one to aim for, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.

After that, Sunday, August 2nd, it drops off a cliff. Swell is 4 ft but with a short 10-second period, and the wind is cross-on. The energy is weak (441). The conditions are poor, and it looks like a write-off. Monday, August 3rd, is even worse – tiny 2 ft to 3 ft surf with poor conditions. The run fizzles out completely.

So, the bottom line is: there’s a long, slow, marginal first week, a few days of small, long-period groundswell that are worth a look if you’re desperate, and then a brief window of more size on the first of August. After that, it’s dead. The break is a point, so those long-period days will give you some nice lines, but don’t expect much. Stay patient.

Rusty out.

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