Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking.

Straight up, it’s a pretty bleak run for Tankers for the next week and a half. The wind is mostly cross-off from the ENE, but it’s blowing a solid 18 to 22 mph for days on end, which is just too much to make the lumpy, short-period slop we’ve got on offer anything even close to fun. The first solid week is basically a write-off.

The water temp at Tankers is sitting around 80°, and that’s about average for this time of year, so nothin’ weird there.

The first hint of anything worth paddling out for comes on Saturday 11 July. The swell picks up to 6 ft from the east, but it’s a short, choppy 8 seconds, and the wind is still pushing 18 mph. The combined energy is moderate (699), but the forecast is calling it marginal. Honestly, it’s a scratchy, average day at best.

Things stay pretty weak and marginal right through until Tuesday 21 July. That afternoon, we finally see a pulse of energy hit. The combined swell energy jumps to 1308 (strong), with a 3 ft swell from the east and a long 17-second period. That’s a proper groundswell in the making. The wind is cross-off and moderate at 15 mph, so the surf should be clean. For a reef break like Tankers, that long-period groundswell is a good thing – it’ll wrap in with some shape.

Wednesday 22 July morning looks like the best of the whole run. Swell stays similar at 3 ft from the east, a 16-second period, and moderate cross-off wind. The energy is still strong (1048). The surf might not be massive, but it’ll be clean, well-shaped, and the periods are long enough to give you some proper waves. Keep in mind, Tankers is a consistent, exposed reef with crowds likely often, so don’t expect a quiet session.

The beginning of the third week, around Thursday 23 July, the swell drops back off into the weak and marginal zone again. That 22 July stand-out is the one to circle on the calendar, but it’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

Rusty.

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