Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—this is a tough stretch for Tankers. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a flat spell with only marginal, small waves and persistent cross-off winds. The water’s sitting at a pretty normal 80° for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance to paddle out comes Saturday morning, 11 July. Swell is a tiny 2ft out of the SW with a long 18-second period, which means clean, lined-up waves at this reef break, but they’ll be small and the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-off. The combined energy is moderate at 370. It’s not going to get you out of bed, but if you’re desperate, it’s surfable. Saturday afternoon and Sunday see the same story—swell nudges up to 3ft, still SW, period dropping to 16 seconds, but the wind stays fresh and cross-off. The energy climbs to 751 on Sunday morning, which is moderate, but the waves are still marginal and the tide might be a factor.

By Monday 13 July, it’s the same deal: 3ft SW swell, 15-second period, clean cross-off wind, but the surf is just too small and inconsistent to get excited about. Tuesday 14 July sees a switch to a tiny 2ft W swell with a 16-second period, and the wind goes light cross-shore in the morning at 9 mph, which is the best wind condition of the whole run. The energy is moderate at 613, but it’s still a marginal wave. If you’re a beginner, this is probably your window—the swell is under 5ft, so it’s safe, and the light wind makes it clean.

The rest of the week is more of the same: small SW and W swells, mostly 2ft to 3ft, with periods ranging from 14 to 18 seconds, and persistent cross-off winds from the ENE at 16-22 mph. The energy stays moderate, but the wave quality is poor or marginal at best. The 19th of July brings a 4ft E swell, but it’s short-period windswell at 7 seconds, which means bumpy, weak waves—not worth paddling for.

The standout, if you can call it that, is actually the Tuesday morning 14 July. The light, gentle cross-shore wind at 9 mph will give the cleanest surface, and the 2ft W swell with a long 16-second period should offer some smooth, peeling lines at Tankers. It’s still small, but it’s the best on offer. The crowds are listed as “often,” so expect a few locals out.

Things don’t really improve in the second week. The 23rd of July sees a 3ft SSW swell with a 19-second period, combined energy of 732, and moderate cross-off wind—marginal again. The 24th and 25th are just more of the same small, clean swells. Honestly, this is a period to keep the board in the car and wait for the next pulse. The setup is consistently small and clean, but never really delivers.

Stay patient, and check back in a few days. Forecasts can change. Rusty.

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