Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

It’s a pretty grim run, to be honest. We’ve got a consistent, moderate-sized SSW swell pumping in, but the wind is the enemy. It’s locked in from the ESE to SE, blowing a steady cross-on breeze day after day, which is going to chop up the surface and make it a real battle out there. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The only spot on the radar is Tandjung-Lefts, a consistent, advanced reef break. The swell direction is SSW, which lines up with the optimum from the south, so the break is getting the right angle, but the lack of clean wind is the killer.

Starting Monday morning, the 13th of July, we have a tiny 3 ft. SSW swell with a 12-second period, but the cross-on wind is already ruining it. The combined energy is weak (410), and the comment is “poor surf conditions.” That’s the story for the whole first week. The swell builds through the week, hitting 6 ft. on Wednesday the 15th with a 16-second period, and the energy climbs to strong (2033), but it’s all cross-on and choppy. It’s just not worth paddling out for.

We hit a bit of a lull from Thursday the 16th through to Sunday the 19th, with swell dropping to 4 ft. - 4 ft. and energy levels falling into the moderate range (around 870-1044). The wind doesn’t let up, so it’s still messy.

Then on Monday the 20th of July, the swell jumps back up to 7 ft. with a 17-second period, and the energy is very strong (2750). That’s a lot of water moving, but with the same cross-on breeze, it’s going to be a washing machine. At 7 ft., it’s getting big for beginners, and the chop will make it a real handful. The comment remains “poor surf conditions.”

The second week is more of the same. The swell stays in the 4 ft. to 6 ft. range, with energy levels yo-yo-ing between moderate and strong. The wind is relentless. By Friday the 24th of July, the swell drops to 3 ft., but then the period stretches out to a very long 20 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, but it’s still cross-on and the comment is “poor surf conditions.” The next day, Saturday the 25th, we see 6 ft. again with a 16-second period and strong energy (2048), but once again, the wind kills it.

The best day on offer is probably Thursday afternoon, the 24th of July. The swell is 5 ft. from the SSW with an 18-second period, giving strong energy (1921). It’s still cross-on, but the wind is just a moderate breeze, and the comment is “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s the closest we get to a window, but it’s a real gamble. The very long period at a reef break like Tandjung-Lefts is a good match, but without the wind cooperating, it’s a tough sell.

Honestly, there are no standouts here. The whole 16-day window is a write-off for clean, quality waves. The wind is onshore every day, and the surf quality is rated poor for almost every session. It’s a long stretch of frustrating conditions. This is one of those times where you might want to check the forecast for the next day, because it can’t stay this bad forever.

Rusty.

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