Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer at Tankers over the next couple of weeks.

First off, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The immediate outlook is pretty grim and I wouldn’t bother paddling out for the first few days. The water temp is sitting at 80°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so at least that’s comfortable.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Monday, 20th July. It’s a small day, but there’s a 16-second period groundswell from the south pushing some energy through. The combined swell energy is moderate (546). A long-period swell like this tends to wrap in better at reefs and points, and Tankers is a reef, so that's a good match. The wind is a clean cross-shore, but the swell is tiny at 2ft, so it’s marginal. You’d have to be an optimist to get wet.

Things start to look a bit more promising later in the week. The standout in the entire forecast is the morning of the 23rd of July. The swell direction swings to the SSW, and the energy jumps up to 1020, which is solid. There’s a 20-second period from the south, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore. Waves are around 3ft, but that long period will give them some shape. It’s a bit small for a big session, but it’s the best-quality window we’ve seen.

The next real highlight is the morning of the 26th of July. The swell builds to 4ft from the east with a 17-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 1414. Wind is light and cross-offshore, which will keep the faces clean. The swell is just a touch under 5ft, so it’s still manageable for intermediates, but the quality should be there. This is a good morning to be out.

The biggest pulse of the whole run arrives on Monday, 27th July. We’re looking at a 7ft east swell, but the period has dropped to 15-16 seconds. The energy is high (2278), and the wind is cross-off. At 7ft, this is pushing into expert territory at a reef break, so it’s not for the faint-hearted. The wave state is described as excellent for experienced surfers. If you’ve got the skills, this is the day to get excited about.

The following morning, Tuesday, 28th July, is still very good. The swell holds at 6ft from the east, with a 13-14 second period and a light breeze at 6 mph. The energy is still strong (1663). This is another excellent session for the crew who can handle it.

After that, the surf drops off a cliff. From Wednesday, 29th July onwards, it’s all small, weak, and not worth the paddle. The energy drops to triple digits, the swell barely shows, and the conditions are poor. By the time we hit the first week of August, it’s a flat spell.

So, to sum it up: the best windows are the morning of the 23rd of July for that clean, long-period south swell, and the morning of the 26th of July for a solid, clean east swell. The real heavy stuff comes on the 27th and 28th of July, but that’s for the experts only. The rest of the window is a write-off. Get out there when it’s good, because it doesn’t stay that way for long.

Rusty.

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