Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s in store for Tandjung-Lefts over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a bit of a challenging outlook. The wind is just not playing nice, so we’re mostly looking at choppy, cross-onshore slop. The water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing weird.

We kick off on Friday the 4th of September, but honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got swell around 3 ft to 4 ft from the SSW, but the wind is a stiff 12 mph from the SE, making it a cross-onshore mess. The wave energy is moderate (667 to 714), but the conditions are just poor.

Saturday the 5th sees a bit more size – 6 ft to 6 ft of SSW groundswell, with a long period of 16 seconds. That longer period means better shape potential, but again, that cross-onshore wind is going to chop it up. It’s marginal at best, and with a wave energy jumping into the strong range (1447 to 1582), it’s frustrating to see it ruined by the breeze.

Sunday the 6th is more of the same, just with stronger wind at 16 mph in the morning. The swell hangs around 5 ft to 6 ft, but the conditions are poor to marginal. Strong energy on the Sunday afternoon (1888) is completely wasted.

Now, here’s where we get a tiny glimmer of hope. From Monday the 7th through to Wednesday the 9th, the wind eases a bit and turns more cross-shore, with speeds dropping to 6-9 mph. The swell stays consistent, 6 ft to 8 ft from the SSW, with periods blowing out to 18 seconds on the Tuesday afternoon. This is the window to watch. Strong wave energy across the board (1514 to 2947) and the light cross-shore breeze means the sets will have some shape, though there will be a little cross-chop. The Tuesday morning looks best with 7 ft and 13 seconds, and the Wednesday lightens up even more with a light cross-shore breeze. This is the pick of the whole forecast.

Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th see the wind shift back to cross-onshore, putting the quality back on the slide. Swell is still in the 6 ft to 6 ft range, with nice 15-16 second periods, but the chop returns. Moderate wave energy (1578 to 1748).

From Saturday the 12th right through to the end of the forecast on the 19th, it’s a long, frustrating run of cross-onshore winds and mostly marginal to poor surf. The swell never really drops out, hovering between 4 ft and 7 ft, and there’s plenty of oomph in the water (energy values frequently in the 1000s to 2000s). But the wind just won’t give us a break. A few days in the second week, like the 15th and 19th, are straight-up poor. The 17th of September has 7 ft of SSW swell with 17 seconds, but again, it’s cross-onshore. Lots of energy, not enough quality.

The standout: The best bet by far is Tuesday September 8th and Wednesday September 9th, when the cross-shore wind and strong, long-period SSW swell (6 ft to 8 ft) should line up for some decent, if not perfect, waves. The wave energy is impressive (2412 to 2947), and the lighter wind will mean the sets have push and shape. It’s a reef break, so those long-period swells will wrap in nicely. Because it's a reef, it’s an advanced spot, and crowds are just "sometimes" an issue.

If you miss that window, you might be waiting a long time. The rest of the run is mostly about watching the swell pass by through a chop farm. Remember, longer-range calls get less certain, but for now, aim for that mid-week window.

Rusty.

Read more