Tandjungs-Rights Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – the next couple of weeks at Tandjung-Rights ain’t looking like a classic run. We’ve got a solid, consistent SSW groundswell pulsing through the whole period, with combo energy readings sitting solidly in the strong range (1555 to 2383), so there’s plenty of water moving. But the story’s all about the wind.

Right from Friday the 11th, it’s a cross-onshore mess. Friday morning has clean skies but that ESE breeze at 12 mph is putting a nasty chop on the face. Swell’s 6 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period – proper long-range groundswell – but the surface is just too bumpy. That pattern locks in for days. Saturday the 12th is a little smaller at 5 ft, but still cross-onshore. By Saturday afternoon the wind goes onshore and it’s a write-off.

Sunday the 13th actually shows a nice uptick in energy (2114) with 6 ft SSW swell and an 18-second period – that’s deep ocean energy. But again, that SE wind at 12 mph has it choppy and frustrating. The whole first week is a grind of moderate cross-onshore conditions. The water temp is sitting at a very normal 80°F, so no surprises there, at least.

Monday the 14th through to Thursday the 17th is pretty much the same story: 5 ft to 6 ft SSW swell, decent periods of 14-16 seconds, but the wind won’t let up. It’s all rated as poor or marginal. Not the sort of stuff you paddle out for unless you’re desperate for a bumpy battle.

Now, there is a flicker of hope. The weekend of the 20th and 21st September shows the swell bumping back up to 7 ft from the SSW, with energy again in the 1700-2000 range. The wind stays cross-onshore, but it’s a lighter 9 mph – that “gentle breeze” makes the chop less hideous. Still not clean, but it’s the most rideable part of the whole stretch.

Late in the window, around Tuesday the 22nd September, we finally get a change. The wind swings to a true cross-shore from the S at 6-9 mph, with only slight cross-chop on the surface. Swell is 6 ft from the SSW, period 13-14 seconds. This is the cleanest window in the whole forecast. It’s not glassy, but it’s miles better than what came before. The energy is still decent (1235-1406). This is the standout moment – Tuesday the 22nd morning and afternoon is your best bet if you want a half-decent session without chewing on whitecaps.

Beyond that, the last few days of the month see the swell holding at 5 ft to 7 ft, but the cross-onshore wind returns. The final Saturday the 26th pumps out a big 7 ft SSW swell with 17-second period and energy over 2300, but it’s back to choppy conditions. Really frustrating, because that’s a lot of power going to waste.

Overall, the best day on offer is Tuesday the 22nd September. The cross-shore wind and solid 6 ft SSW groundswell (period 14s) make it the closest thing to a decent session we’re going to get. Still not perfect, but if you’re itching, that’s your call. For the rest, keep your expectations low – it’s a lot of swell and a lot of chop.

Rusty.

Read more