Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the overall pattern: we’ve got a solid run of SSW groundswell, but the wind is just not playing ball for a long stretch. That persistent cross-onshore breeze is going to keep things messy and choppy. The real standout is tucked away right at the end of the window, on the 5th of September. That’s where the magic happens.

So, let’s start with the good news. For the first week and a bit, it’s a tough slog. From Monday the 24th of August right through to the afternoon of the 4th of September, the wind is a constant cross-onshore, mostly from the SE or ESE at 12 to 12 mph. That’s going to chop up the waves at Tandjung-Lefts (a reef break) pretty badly. The swell is there, but it’s ragged. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing too wild there.

The swell size hangs around 3 ft to 5 ft for a lot of that first week, with a couple of bigger pulses. On the morning of Friday the 28th of August, we see a jump to 8 ft from the SSW (16 seconds period), with a combined energy of 3069. That’s a fair bit of juice, but again, that cross-onshore wind means it’s going to be a bumpy, choppy mess. Not ideal for a paddle. The longer period (16 seconds) means it’s a proper groundswell, but at a beach break like this, it might be a bit too straight and hard to get into. With that size, it’s really only for the experts anyway, and the condition is poor. The afternoon of the 27th of August has a really long period of 20 seconds, but it’s only 3 ft and still cross-onshore. It’s a bit of a tease.

Now, the real standout. Look at the morning of Saturday the 5th of September. That’s the one. The wind finally swings around to the SW at a light 6 mph, giving us a cross-offshore breeze. That means clean, groomed faces. The swell is 5 ft from the SSW with a 14 second period, and the combined energy is 946. It’s not the biggest swell, but it’s a lovely, workable size for a good surfer, and the conditions are clean. The afternoon of that same day is just as good, with a 6 ft swell and 6 mph southerly breeze, still cross-offshore. The energy bumps up to 1044. This is the pick of the entire forecast. The water is still about average temp, and the break is a consistent reef, so it’ll hold that swell well. Be aware, crowds are possible at this spot.

After that, the wind turns cross-onshore again on the 6th, but the afternoon session on the 6th of September has a 6 ft swell from the SSW with a very long 18 second period, and a combined energy of 2377. The wind is light and cross-shore, so it’ll be clean but maybe a little tricky. That’s a good backup option, but nothing beats the 5th.

To sum it up: the first week and a half is a write-off for clean surf. The wind is just too strong and onshore. The 5th of September is the absolute winner. Mark it in your calendar.

Rusty.

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