Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, digging into this 16-day window.

We’ve got a drawn-out run of iffy conditions ahead. For the most part, the wind is a problem – constant cross-on shore from the ESE or SE – and that’s messing with what could be some solid swell. The first week and a bit is pretty rough, with only a couple of late afternoons offering a slight glimmer. The real standouts, and I mean the only ones worth a proper look, don’t roll in until September 9th and 10th.

Right now, through the end of August and into the first week of September, it’s mostly a write-off. The swell is there, bumping around 4ft to 6ft, mostly from the SSW, but that persistent 12-16 mph cross-on wind is just chopping everything up. Wave quality is poor. There’s a hint of a chance on the afternoon of September 5th – swell is 6ft from the SSW, wind drops to 9 mph from the SSE and goes cross-shore, which takes the edge off the chop. The combined swell energy jumps to a moderate 1422, so there’s some push there, but it’s still only listed as marginal due to tide issues. It’s a maybe, not a go. Then the 6th and 7th have some 7ft SSW swell, but the cross-on wind is back and surf quality is marginal at best.

Now, circle Thursday, September 9th on your calendar. This is where it gets interesting. By the afternoon, we’re looking at a legit 8ft SSW groundswell with a very long period of 20 seconds. That’s a serious amount of energy pumping in – the combined swell energy hits a very strong 6567. And the wind? It drops right back to 6 mph from the SSE, going cross-shore. That’s a light breeze with only small crossing wind ripples, which is as close to clean as we’re going to get. This is the best window of the whole forecast. Tandjung-Lefts is a consistent, advanced reef break, and this kind of long-period groundswell loves a setup like that. The direction is SSW, and the optimum for this spot is S, so it’s a little off-angle but still solidly exposed. Just a heads up, though – at 8ft, this is expert territory. Don’t even think about it if you’re not comfortable in big, powerful waves. The crowds can be an issue here sometimes, and on a day like this, expect some company.

Friday, September 10th, holds in with another 8ft SSW groundswell in the morning, period dropping to 17 seconds – still a good, long groundswell. The wind stays light at 6 mph from the SSE, again cross-shore. The energy is still very strong at 3813. This is another very good day, just a notch behind the 9th for overall quality.

The gap between the 5th and the 9th/10th is a few days of frustrating near-misses, but those two days in the second week are the real deal. After that, the swell stays up around 5ft to 8ft through the 15th, but the wind swings back onshore and the quality drops to marginal again. It’s the 9th and 10th that are the clear winners here.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty.

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