Trincomalee Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a good look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks around here. Straight off the bat, I’ll level with you – this is not the most pumped-in period we’ve seen. The window is pretty quiet overall, so don’t get too fired up just yet, but there might be a few moments that could surprise you.

We start off with nothing really happening for the first several days. From Friday the 21st right through until Thursday the 27th, there’s just no real surf to speak of. We’re looking at small, weak swell with heights barely hitting 1 ft out of the southeast, and the combined energy figures are negligible, sitting down around 28 to 39 – that’s weak stuff, no doubt. The wind is constantly cross-off from the WSW, which is not helping clean things up either. It’s basically poor surf conditions day in and day out. A total flat spell for the paddle surfers.

Now, there is a bit of a flicker on Thursday the 3rd of September, the afternoon specifically. The swell height bumps up a little, 3 ft from the SSE, and the combined energy finally cracks three digits – 109, which is at least *moderate* energy. The period is short though, only 8 seconds. That’s not groundswell, that’s windswell chatter. The wind is still cross-off from the WSW at 19 to 22 mph, so it’s going to be bumpy. This is one for the hardcore locals who don’t mind dodging wobble. It’s still rated as poor surf, but compared to the dead calm before it, it’s something.

After that, into the 4th and 5th of September, the swell drops back down to 1 ft to 2 ft. The period stretches to 11 seconds on the 5th, which is a bit more interesting – a longer period means more organised lines – but the height is just too small to hold together. Combined energy stays in the 50 to 79 range, so it’s back to weak.

As for the water, if I’m mentioning the first possible wave here – the water temperature on the 21st is sitting at 84° with an anomaly of 1°, so it’s pretty much normal for the time of year. Warm bath stuff.

If we’re going to talk about any standout break, the whole region is represented by Trincomalee. It’s a point break, and it rarely breaks, so that’s the big caveat. Add in the fact the optimum swell direction for the spot is from the south, and we’re getting swell from the southeast and SSE, so it’s not even really lighting up the point properly. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might see a few souls, but honestly, with this forecast, you’ll likely have the place to yourself.

Don’t expect anything to change quickly here for the rest of the window. The blank run we’ve got from the 21st to the 3rd is pretty telling – that’s a solid 13 days of nothing. That’s a long gap. The little blip on the 3rd is the only thing worth mentioning, and even then, it’s a stretch. If you’re a kiter, with the cross-off winds and those small but frequent pulses, this setup actually looks more interesting for you than for a paddle surfer.

Keep an eye on it – forecasts shift – but for now, treat it as a rest week.

- Rusty

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