Tandjung-Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a mixed bag of news for you. Looking at the whole 16-day window, we’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions to start, with a glimmer of something better right at the end. The only spot on the radar is Tandjung-Lefts, a reef break that’s fairly exposed to the swell. The water’s sitting at 81°F and that’s just about average for this time of year. The problem is, for the first week and a half, the wind is hammering in from the southeast, smacking this break with a cross-on breeze that’s got the surface chopped up and lumpy. It’s a real shame because there’s some decent energy coming through.

From Thursday 23 July right through to Friday 1 August, it’s a write-off. The wind is up around 12–22 mph, and while the swell height ranges from 3ft to 8ft, and the combined energy is moderate to strong (558 to 2265), the cross-on wind just wrecks it. The period is long, often 14–17 seconds, which would be gold for a reef like this in clean conditions, but with that wind, it’s just messy. The swell is coming from the SSW or SE, which is fine for the break, but the wind is from the opposite direction, slapping it sideways. For a few days, like Sunday 26 July, the swell pushes over 8ft with a short 9-second period and strong energy (1328), but that’s only for the experts, and with the fresh cross-on wind and rain showers, it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

Now, the tide and conditions get a bit of a break from Saturday 1 August onwards. The wind drops to a gentle 9–12 mph breeze, and while it’s still cross-on, the swell is hanging in there. On Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August, we’re seeing 6ft to 6ft SSW swell with a very long 17–18 second period, and the combined energy is strong (2134 to 2265). The wind is lighter, so the chop is milder, but it’s still cross-on. The break is consistent, but it’s an advanced-only reef, so that’s your crowd. With the long period, point breaks and reefs like this one actually handle it better than beach breaks, so shape should be okay despite the cross-on wind.

The real standout is looking at Tuesday 4 August. The morning sees a 8ft SSW swell, 17-second period, and the combined energy hits 3286 – that’s strong to very strong. The wind is only 9 mph from the ESE, the lightest it’s been, and it’s still cross-on, but with a gentle breeze, it’s fairly choppy rather than lumpy. This is the biggest, cleanest option in the whole window. The swell is over 8ft, so it’s expert territory, and Tandjung-Lefts is a reef, so that long period will set up some proper lines. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so you might have company, but the quality is the best on offer. The break is fairly exposed, and the SSW direction matches the optimum S direction pretty well for a reef that’s exposed to the south.

After that, Wednesday 5 August and Friday 7 August still have some marginal conditions with 6ft to 6ft SSW swell and 15-second period, but the wind tickles back up to 12 mph, and the energy drops to moderate (1346–1735). It’s still surfable, but not as good as Tuesday. The long-range stuff from 5 August onwards is promising, but less certain – forecasts can change.

So, to wrap it up: the first week and a half is a bust. The only real standout is Tuesday 4 August at Tandjung-Lefts, with that 8ft SSW swell, light wind, and big energy. If you’re an expert, that’s your window. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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