Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's look at what's on the table for Tankers.

Honestly, it’s a rough stretch ahead. The 16-day window is staring at us, and there’s not a single day that I’d get properly excited about. We’re looking at a whole lot of marginal to poor conditions from the start right through to the 17th of July. The first recommendation doesn’t show up until Friday the 3rd, and even then, it’s barely a whisper.

Tankers itself is a consistent reef setup, exposed to the south. It can handle swell, but for the next two weeks, the energy is just not there. We kick off on Thursday the 2nd with tiny 2ft swell from the SSW, a long 14-second period, but cross-off winds from the ENE at 16-19 mph are just messing with it. The combined energy (458) is moderate, sure, but the surf quality is poor. The water is sitting at 80°F, which is about normal for this time of year.

The best of a bad bunch creeps in around the weekend. Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th see swell bumping up to 3ft-3ft from the SSW and S, with very long periods pushing 18-21 seconds. The combined energy hits the 700s, which is moderate. The wind stays cross-off from the ENE, keeping things clean, but the forecast is still only marginal. It’s rideable, but nothing to write home about. That long period groundswell is nice for a reef like this, but the size just isn’t there to make it worthwhile.

The following week is more of the same. Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th have the same 3ft SSW swell, but the winds pick up to a fresh 19-22 mph, and the period drops, so energy fades. It turns into real paddle-fest territory with poor surf. Wednesday the 8th throws a bit of a curveball with a 6ft swell from the east, but with a shocking 7-second period – that’s all wind chop, no shape. Combined energy is 580, but it’s messy.

From the 9th of July onward, it’s a slow decline. Swell drops back below 3ft, periods are all over the place, and the cross-off winds don’t let up. The combined energy hovers in the 100-400 range, which is weak to moderate. The marginal calls on the 11th, 12th, and 13th offer the best hope, with 2ft-3ft SSW swell and moderate winds, but it’s still just barely surfable.

If I had to pick a standout – and I use that word loosely – it’s a toss-up between Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th. Both have the cleanest conditions with that very long period groundswell hitting from a decent direction. The combined energy is moderate (670-714), and the wind is a steady cross-off. For a surfer who doesn’t mind small waves and wants the reef to itself – because crowds are often a factor here – that’s your window.

For the rest of it? Don’t bother. The whole period is a blank run for proper surf. It happens here. When Tankers goes flat, it stays flat. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, I’d say find another hobby.

Rusty.

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