Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Rightio, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up for this stretch of coast. Straight up, I gotta be honest – this isn’t a clean, easy run of surf. A solid, long-period SSW groundswell is on the cards for days, but the wind is almost always working against us. That cross-onshore breeze is gonna junk things up, making it choppy, bumpy, and a real handful. It’s going to be a waiting game for the rare moment the wind eases.

The first recommendations don’t kick in until Thursday, August 13th. The swell is already arriving at 8 ft from the south, with a very long 16-second period. The combined wave energy is strong at 3707, so plenty of power pushing in. But it’s a cross-onshore ESE breeze at 12 mph, which means choppy, bumpy conditions. The water temp is a mild 80°, feeling pretty normal for this time of year. This is for Tandjung-Lefts – an advanced reef break that needs clean conditions to really shine.

The pattern for that first week, from Thursday the 13th through to about Monday the 18th, is pretty much the same story. We’ve got solid swell – mostly 7 ft to 8 ft, hanging in the 15 to 17-second range – but the wind stubbornly sticks around from the SE or ESE, either a gentle or moderate breeze, always cross-onshore. It’s going to be on the messier side. There’s a brief window on Tuesday the 18th afternoon where the wind shifts to “on” (offshore), but the description says “unknown” for the wind state, so I can’t guarantee it’s glassy. That’s the one time I’d be watching like a hawk for a possible improvement, but the score ain’t exactly shouting about it. The sandbank and tides will be everything.

Into the second week, the swell keeps coming, still sizeable, but the wind stays a problem. You get periods where it drops from 12 mph down to 9 mph, but it’s always that annoying cross-onshore angle. The wave energy remains high – you’re seeing values between 1212 and 3653, which is moderate to strong. It’s frustrating because the raw ingredients are there.

Monday the 25th sees a drop in swell, down to around 3 ft to 5 ft, and then it builds again late in the week. By Friday the 28th, we’re back up to 7 ft from the SSW, with that 15-second period. But again, that cross-onshore wind is the story. The combined energy on Friday afternoon jumps back up to 3132, showing the power is back, but the wind hasn’t changed its tune.

Honestly, for the whole 16 days, I don’t see an absolute standout session where everything clicks perfectly. The best bet is probably Tuesday the 18th afternoon if that wind really does go offshore, giving you a sneaky chance at Tandjung-Lefts with a 6 ft SSW groundswell and some much-needed clean faces. But don’t hold your breath on it being perfect. For the rest of the time, it’s a case of making do – the power is there for advanced surfers, but the wind is going to keep it from being a classic.

Rusty.

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