Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’re looking at a pretty frustrating stretch for Tandjung-Lefts. This is an advanced reef break, and when it’s on, it’s a gem, but the wind’s got the upper hand for most of the next 16 days. The water is about average for this time of year at 80°.

The first bit of surf worth mentioning kicks off Friday morning, August 28. We’ve got a solid SSW swell running at 8ft, with a 16-second period—that’s proper groundswell, loads of energy in the water (combined energy 3043). The problem is the wind is a cross-on ESE breeze at 9 mph, so it’s going to be fairly choppy. The tide might mess with the shape too, so it’s looking marginal.

Friday afternoon drops a touch to 7ft from the same direction, period still 16 seconds (energy 2504). The wind goes cross-shore SSE at 9 mph, which is slightly better but still adds a bit of cross-chop. It’s still a so-so call.

Saturday morning, August 29, sees the swell dip to 6ft from SSW, period 15 seconds (energy 1337). Wind is lighter, cross-shore from the SSE at 6 mph, so only small wind ripples. The waves are smaller and a bit cleaner, but conditions remain marginal. Afternoon, the wind picks back to 9 mph cross-on from the SE, making it choppy again.

From Sunday, August 30, right through to Wednesday, September 9, it’s a long, grim stretch. Swells between 3ft and 6ft, but the wind is a persistent cross-on from the ESE or SE at 9–12 mph, mostly moderate breeze. Combined energy drops into the hundreds or low thousands, and every session is flagged as poor surf conditions or marginal at best. This break is a reef, so it needs clean conditions to shine, and that wind is just ruining it.

There’s a glimmer on Thursday morning, September 10. Swell bumps to 6ft from SSW, period 16 seconds (energy 1516), and the wind is light cross-on from the SE at 6 mph—only small ripples. It’s still marginal, but the lighter wind gives it a shot.

Then, a few days later, on Friday morning, September 11, the swell kicks up to 7ft from SSW, period 16 seconds (energy 2208). That’s a strong groundswell, but the wind is cross-on ESE at 9 mph, so it’s messy. By Saturday morning, September 12, it reaches 8ft from the same direction (energy 3063). At that size, this is strictly for experts, and with the cross-on wind, it’ll be a battle. Period is 16 seconds, which is good for power, but the reef setup won’t love the chop.

The standout here is a modest one: Thursday morning, September 10, offers the best balance of size (6ft) and the lightest wind of the period. It’s still not perfect, but it’s the least compromised. The bigger swells on September 11 and 12 have the power, but the wind wrecks the quality. Honestly, the whole 16 days is a tough slog—this area is not giving up clean waves right now.

Rusty.

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