Trincomalee Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s look at what’s going on around Trincomalee. I’ll be honest, mate, it’s a dry spell. The finder isn’t giving me a single good option across the whole 16-day stretch. Every session is marked as poor surf. For a spot that’s very sheltered and rarely breaks, a blank run like this isn’t that unusual, but it’s still a bummer. Things can change, so don’t lose hope entirely.

We’re talking about Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), a point break that’s good for beginners, but it’s a spot that rarely breaks. It’s very sheltered, so it needs a specific swell direction to fire. The best swell direction is from the south, but what we’ve got is tiny, mostly from the SSE and SE, with heights between 0.7 ft and 2 ft. The period is mostly short, around 8 to 10 seconds, but there’s a very long period groundswell from the south on the 22nd and 23rd of August, with periods of 18 to 24 seconds. That’s a very long period, which usually means better shape and more energy, but also longer lulls between sets. For a point break, that can be a good thing, but the swell height is only 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft, so it’s barely a bump. The combined energy of all swells is very weak, with values like 136 (moderate) on the 11th, but then dropping to the teens and twenties for most of the run. The water temperature is 83°F, which is about average for this time of year with a tiny anomaly of 0.7°.

The wind is mainly a cross-off from the WSW for most of the period, which keeps the surface clean, and there are a few moments of offshore from the NW and WNW on the 14th and 15th of August. That’s a big plus for clean waves, but with no swell to work with, it’s a waiting game.

There’s no real standout here. The best of a weak lot would be the afternoon of the 14th of August, with a light offshore wind from the WNW, a 2 ft swell from the SE, and a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is 85, which is weak, but with the clean conditions, it’s the least ugly option. The 15th of August afternoon is similar, with a light offshore from the NW, 2 ft from the SE, and a period of 10 seconds.

For the second week, from the 18th onward, it gets even smaller and weaker. Those very long period swells on the 22nd and 23rd of August are a cruel tease, but the heights are so low you’d be lucky to get a ripple.

If you’re really keen for a paddle, the 14th or 15th of August afternoons are your best bet for a clean, tiny wave. But don’t get your hopes up. This setup looks more suited to a longboard or a SUP than a proper surf session.

Rusty

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