Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve had a good look at what’s coming down the line for the next couple of weeks, and I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch for Tandjung-Lefts. We’ve got a persistent cross-onshore wind from the ESE and SE that’s going to keep things pretty choppy and messy. The swell is there, no doubt, with some serious energy pumping in at times, but unless you’re a glutton for punishment, it’s not going to be the kind of clean, rippable surf we all dream about.

We kick off Monday, 13 July. The morning’s looking clear, but that 12 mph ESE wind is on it, making things a bit lumpy. There’s a 3 ft SSW swell with a period of 12 seconds. The water’s a warm 81°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing to write home about. The combined energy is moderate, clocking in at 410, but it’s a poor surf day. The afternoon doesn't get any better, with a long-period 21-second swell pushing in, but the wind goes cross-on, and the energy jumps up to 978 (moderate), and it's still choppy. Rough.

Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th see the swell building significantly, with waves between 6 ft and 6 ft from the SSW. The combined energy jumps into the strong range, hitting up to 2594 on Tuesday morning. That’s a lot of power, but it’s all for nothing with the same cross-onshore wind. The sessions are rated as marginal at best, and honestly, with that wind, it’s just a messy, churning wall. Thursday and Friday, the swell drops back a little to around 4 ft to 5 ft, but the energy stays moderate. The wind stays fresh and cross-onshore, with some rain showers thrown in, keeping conditions poor.

The weekend of 19-20 July doesn’t offer much relief. We’ve got a pulse of bigger swell coming in on Monday the 20th, with 7 ft to 7 ft SSW swell and combined energy over 2200 (strong). But again, the wind is cross-onshore at 12-16 mph and there are rain showers, so it’s borderline messy. This size is getting into the “experts only” territory anyway, especially with period around 16 seconds, but the choppy surface makes it a headache.

There’s a pretty bleak gap here through the week of 21 July. The swell bounces around between 4 ft and 6 ft, but the wind doesn’t let up. Every day, morning and afternoon, it’s that same cross-onshore kick. We’re looking at a full week of poor or marginal conditions straight through to the early hours of 27 July.

Look, if you’re still reading, there is one ray of light, but it’s a long way off. Check out Monday morning, 27 July. The wind is set to drop a little, becoming a gentle 9 mph from the SE, which is still cross-onshore, but it’s a lot less feisty. The swell is a clean 3 ft from the SSW, but with a super long period of 19 seconds. That’s some serious groundswell energy, bringing in long, clean lines. The combined energy is 1352 (moderate), and it’s the first time we see a score of 2 out of 10. The waves might break a bit straight at times given the beach break nature, but for a quick session, it could be the best of a pretty average bunch. The following Tuesday, 28 July, the swell bumps back up to 5 ft, but the wind picks up again and the quality drops.

So, my honest take? There are no true standouts in this 16-day window at Tandjung-Lefts. The persistent cross-onshore wind ruins what could be a decent run of swell. The only glimmer is Monday, 27 July, which is promising but still a gamble that far out. It’s a dead run for the area, really – it can be better, but forecasts can also change. For now, it’s one for the die-hards or maybe consider tools of a different kind, because with this wind and solid swell, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Rusty.

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