Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’ve got a look at what’s heading our way for the next couple of weeks at Tandjung-Lefts.

First up, the water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is just about spot on for this time of year – no complaints there.

Honestly, the outlook starts off pretty grim. From Wednesday the 5th right through to Sunday the 9th, it’s a real struggle. We’ve got a solid 5ft to 8ft of SSW swell pushing in, with some seriously long-period energy (14 to 17 seconds), and that’s bringing a lot of power – the combined energy is massive, ranging from 1163 up to 2984. But here’s the kicker: the wind is stubbornly cross-onshore the whole time, from the ESE or SE at 12 to 16 mph. That’s putting a chop on the face and making things messy. The surf quality is described as poor or marginal, so honestly, it’s not worth paddling out. The swell is there, but it’s just not clean.

Now, Monday the 10th is a bit of a turning point. The swell really starts to push – Monday afternoon sees 10ft of SSW swell with a 19-second period and the combined energy jumps to a whopping 5773. But again, the wind is still cross-onshore from the SE at 12 mph. It’s still a marginal call, but that’s some serious size and power. For the experts out there, this could be a beast, but the conditions are holding it back.

Tuesday the 11th holds that 10ft size, and then we see a slight wind improvement on Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th – the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph from the SE. Still cross-onshore, but lighter, so it’s a bit less choppy. The swell drops back to 7ft to 7ft. It’s still not perfect, but it’s getting closer.

The real standout window starts to shape up around Friday the 14th and into Saturday the 15th. On Friday morning, the wind drops to just 6 mph from the ESE – that’s a light breeze, barely ruffling the surface. The swell is 7ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is 2440. For a reef break like this, that long-period SSW groundswell is going to wrap in nicely and offer some real power and shape. This is the best chance for a clean session in the near term. Saturday the 15th morning brings a bit more wind (12 mph), but the swell jumps to 8ft with an 18-second period and a combined energy of 3675 – huge energy, but the wind is a factor.

Then we hit another rough patch. Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th see the wind pick back up to 12-16 mph from the ESE, chopping things up again, with poor surf conditions. There’s a gap here with nothing worth chasing.

But then, hold onto your board, because Wednesday the 19th is the big one. Wednesday morning we’re looking at 10ft of SSW swell with an 18-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 6074 – that is strong, powerful stuff. The wind is still cross-onshore from the SE at 12 mph, which is a shame, but Wednesday afternoon the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph from the SE, making it the cleaner part of that day. This is for advanced surfers only – 10ft on a reef with that kind of energy is no joke. It’s the biggest, most powerful swell of the whole period.

Thursday the 20th is also worth a mention. The wind finally turns cross-shore from the south at 9 mph in the afternoon – that’s about as close to side-off as we get in this forecast. The swell is still a solid 8ft from the SSW with a 16-second period. The rating jumps to a 3/5 for that afternoon slot, which is the best we see in the whole 16 days. The combined energy is still strong at 3217.

So, if I’m picking the standouts: Friday the 14th morning is your pick for the best balance of size and clean conditions early on. But the true heavyweight champion is Wednesday the 19th afternoon – that’s the biggest, most powerful swell, with the lightest wind of that period, making it the best chance for a memorable session for the experienced crew. Just be aware, Tandjung-Lefts is a consistent reef break, but with that size and power, it’s experts only.

Rusty.

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