Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s keep it real – Tandjung-Lefts has a tough couple of weeks ahead. It’s an advanced reef break that breaks pretty consistently, but the wind is the problem most of the time, and that’s just how it goes sometimes.

Water temp is 81°F, which is about normal for this time of year. We kick off Wednesday, 29 July, with rain showers and a cross-on ESE wind blowing 16 mph. Swell is 4ft from the SSW on a 14-second period, with moderate wave energy (809). It’s poor – don’t bother.

Through Thursday and Friday, swell stays 4ft to 5ft, all SSW, with periods up to 17 seconds. Wind stays cross-on from the SE or ESE at 9-16 mph, keeping things choppy. Energy builds to strong (up to 1306 Thursday afternoon), but the surf quality is poor. Those long-period swells (over 15 seconds) have power, but the cross wind kills the shape.

Saturday 1 August has swell 5ft in the morning and 5ft by afternoon, with a long 18-second period. Energy hits 1621, but it’s still cross-on and only marginal. You might snag a wave, but it’s not worth the drive. Sunday keeps 6ft swell, but the wind switches to onshore in the afternoon – still messy.

Monday 3 August sees the wind drop to a light 6 mph in the morning, still cross-on, with 6ft at 15 seconds. The cleanest window of the first week, but that’s a low bar. The rest of the week is 5-6ft, cross-on, marginal at best. The energy is there (1238-1473), but the wind just won’t cooperate.

The second week gets bigger. Wednesday 6 August brings 7ft from the SSW at 17 seconds, but a 16 mph cross-on breeze makes it a mess – poor conditions, despite very strong wave energy (2415). Friday 7 August and Saturday 8 August have 7-8ft swell, but the wind hits 19 mph, turning the ocean lumpy and only for experts. Energy is extreme (2592-2768), but it’s ugly.

The real standout is Tuesday 11 August afternoon. Swell jumps to 10ft from the SSW with a massive 20-second period, creating extreme wave energy (7982). Still cross-on at 12 mph, but the raw power is something else – for top-level surfers only. Then Wednesday 12 August morning is the best of the entire run: 13ft from the S at 19 seconds, energy at a staggering 9723, and still a moderate cross-on breeze. It’s not glassy, but the size and grunt make this the session to target. You’d be looking at a week and a half away, so forecasts could shift, but this is the one to circle.

After that, Thursday 13 August and beyond drop to 8-8ft, cross-on, and only marginal. The clean, offshore wind never arrives – it’s cross-on the whole run. For a reef break that needs clean lines, this stretch is about managing expectations.

Rusty.

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