Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I gotta be straight with you on this one. We’ve got one spot on the menu for the next sixteen days, and it’s a tricky one.

The whole forecast is for Tandjung-Lefts, a solid advanced reef break. The swell is coming from the SSW, which is the optimum direction, so that part is dialed in. But the problem is the wind. It’s a constant cross-onshore breeze, strong enough to mess things up, and we’re not seeing any of that sweet, glassy offshore wind that would make this place a dream. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

For the first week, from Saturday the 22nd of August right through to Friday the 28th, it’s a real struggle. We’ve got a solid SSW groundswell running, with swell heights around 5 ft to 8 ft and a very long period of 15 to 16 seconds. That’s a lot of energy—the combined energy readings are up in the thousands (up to 3065). But it’s all being blown out by that cross-onshore wind. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast” or “poor surf conditions” for every single session in that first week. The only slight glimmer is Saturday the 22nd morning, when the wind is classified as “on” (offshore) but it’s still a moderate breeze at 12 mph, and the report still says “marginal surf forecast.” The waves will be big and powerful, but it’ll be a choppy, wind-affected mess. For a break as exposed as this, the wind is just killing it.

The second week isn’t much better. The swell drops a bit, but the cross-onshore wind just keeps blowing. There’s a slight change on Saturday the 5th of September afternoon and Sunday the 6th of September morning, where the wind shifts to a pure cross-shore at 9 mph. The wave comment bumps up to a “3” and a “2” out of 10, with “gentle cross-shore with slight cross-chop.” That’s the best it gets. The swell is still 4 ft to 5 ft from the SSW with a period of 13 to 14 seconds, but the combined energy is lower, around 690 to 1349. It’s still not clean, but it’s the least messy it’s going to be.

Truth is, this is a tough stretch. There’s no standout session here. The waves are there, but the wind is relentless. If you’re an expert and you really want to paddle out, the best bet is that Saturday the 5th of September afternoon or the Sunday the 6th of September morning, when the wind is at least side-shore. But don’t expect perfection. This is one of those periods where the forecast could change, so keep an eye on it. Until then, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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