Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

Alright, straight up, we’ve got a solid run of swell coming through for Tandjung-Lefts, but it’s going to be a battle with the wind for most of the next two weeks. The real standout is waiting right at the tail end of the forecast, so you’ll need some patience.

Swell energy is pumping through the whole first week. We’re talking moderate to very strong wave energy, with values in the thousands – like 1918 on Tuesday afternoon, then ramping up to 3071 and 3558 on Wednesday and Thursday. That’s a lot of juice in the water. The swell is coming from the SSW, which is bang on the optimum direction for this reef break, and the period is long, between 15 and 18 seconds – proper groundswell, meaning good shape and power, but with those long gaps between sets.

The problem is the wind. For almost every session from Tuesday 18th August right through to the end of the month, it’s cross-onshore from the SE or ESE, at 9 to 16 mph. That’s making the surface choppy and messy. The wave comment keeps calling it “marginal” or “poor”. The water temp is sitting at 80°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Now, the swell size is no joke. Most days we’re looking at 5ft to 8ft. Anything over 8ft would be expert territory, but this is still solid, advanced-level stuff. With the cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be lumpy and challenging. For a reef break, that’s not ideal, but if you’re an experienced surfer and you can handle the chop, the power is there.

The best bet in the whole 16-day window? That’s Sunday 30th August afternoon. The swell drops to 3ft, but the period stretches to 18 seconds – very long-period groundswell. The wind shifts to a light cross-offshore from the SSW at 9 mph, and the wave comment says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers”. The combined energy is still strong at 1509, and it’s clean. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Crowds are listed as “sometimes”, so you might not have it all to yourself, but with clean conditions and that long-period swell wrapping into a reef, it’s going to be quality.

Before that, there’s a brief window on Saturday 29th August afternoon where the wind goes cross-shore, and then Sunday 30th morning is light cross-shore with small ripples, scoring a 3. Those are your next best options, but the Sunday afternoon is the clear winner.

The second week is a bit of a letdown. From Monday 31st August onward, the wind is back onshore and the swell energy drops into the 1000s and low 1000s, with heights around 5ft. It’s not great, but there’s still something to ride if you’re desperate. Tuesday 1st September is the same story – marginal, choppy, not worth getting excited about.

So, the takeaway: the whole first week has plenty of swell but the wind is a bastard. Don’t get your hopes up for anything clean until that Sunday 30th August afternoon. That’s the standout. Everything else is a fight.

Rusty.

Read more