Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve only got one spot on the radar, and honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The next 16 days are looking at Tandjung-Lefts, a solid advanced-level reef break. The water’s sitting at a warm 80°F which is about normal for this time of year. The issue is the wind. For the next week and a half, we’re almost constantly looking at a cross-on shore breeze from the ESE or SE. It’s not howling, but that direction is just enough to put a chop on the face and keep things from being glassy. The swell is there, though. A consistent SSW groundswell with long periods, mostly 15 to 17 seconds, is pumping in. That’s a big energy swell, the combined energy readings are strong, often in the thousands, like 3037 and 3701. This means real power and long lulls between sets. That long period means it’s going to be a proper, heavy left-hander – definitely not for beginners with the swell sitting over 7 ft most of the time.

The first week pretty much all looks the same. From Wednesday the 12th right through to Monday the 18th, it’s swell in the 6 ft to 8 ft range, but that persistent cross-on wind is keeping the scores low. The surf is rideable, but it’s going to be choppy and a bit of a battle. There’s no real standout in that first block; it’s just a big, powerful, messy wave.

We do get a little shift as we head into the middle of the window. On Wednesday the 19th, the wind actually swings to a true offshore for the afternoon, coming directly from the ESE at 12 mph. That’s the good stuff. Swell is 8 ft at 17 seconds from the SSW, with a combined energy of 3208. This is going to clean right up. If you can get out there on the 19th afternoon, that’s your best shot in the whole run. It’s still a big, powerful reef wave, so it’s for the experienced crew only. Crowds are on the table as it’s “sometimes” busy.

After that brief moment of glory, it gets ugly again. The weekend of the 20th and 21st brings stronger winds and the conditions get marked as poor surf. Thursday the 20th morning is seeing 8 ft swell with 16 mph cross-on wind – that’s blown out and nasty.

Looking further out to the second week, from about the 24th of August onward, the swell starts to drop off. We see some mornings in the 4 ft to 6 ft range. The energy drops too, down to the 700–2000 range. The wind stays mostly cross-on, though on Wednesday the 26th morning we get a lighter breeze which might make it slightly less choppy. There’s nothing special in that back half; it’s just average, onshore surf.

If you’re a seasoned charger and you can wait for that brief offshore window on the 19th, you’ll score. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for anything clean.

Rusty.

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