Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. I’ve been staring at the charts for our local spot, and to be honest, it’s a bit of a slow start for Tankers. The next 16 days have some promise, but you’ve gotta be patient and pick your moments.

We kick off with nothing to write home about. This weekend is a write-off—Sunday the 16th is straight up ugly with strong cross-onshore winds ramming into a messy 8ft short period swell from the east. The energy is pumping hard (1786), but it’s a washing machine out there. Honestly, with that much wind and poor surf quality at a beach-and-reef setup, this looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddling. Forget it.

That wind eases a touch on Monday the 17th, and we finally get a sniff of something better. The swell drops right down to 3ft from the south, and the wind turns cross-offshore in the morning. It’s clean, but it’s small. The combined energy (539) is moderate at best, and the 14-second period means it’ll be a bit more lined up, but for beginners, this is fine—just don’t expect much push.

Tuesday and Wednesday are tiny. We’re talking 2ft to 3ft with light winds, but the swell direction swings to the southwest. The period is really long (16 to 18 seconds), which is classic groundswell. That means long lulls between sets and the wave might break a bit too straight for a beach break. Probably better to wait.

Thursday the 20th through Saturday the 22nd offers tiny waist-high stuff, 2ft to 3ft from the SW. Winds are light and cross-to-cross-on. The energy is weak (under 400), so it’s marginal. You *could* get a few on a longboard, but it’s a scratch session.

Then we hit a dry patch. Sunday the 23rd through Tuesday the 26th is more small, clean waves with fresh cross-offshore winds, but the swell stays around 2ft to 3ft. The energy picks up a bit midweek—up to 784 (moderate) on Wednesday morning the 26th—but the swell is still small. The water temp anomaly isn’t mentioned in the data as a specific degree, but given no anomaly label, it’s about average for the time of year.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The real standout is the tail end of the run. Thursday the 27th afternoon through Saturday the 29th. We see a solid building trend. Thursday afternoon brings a 6ft easterly swell, but the period is a bit short (8 seconds). Still, the wind is cross-offshore and clean, and the energy is strong (679). The best is yet to come.

Friday the 28th is a great call. We’ve got 7ft to 7ft of easterly swell with a clean cross-off breeze all day. The energy is strong and building (709 to 823). This is proper chest-to-head high surf, and Tankers will be holding it together. For confident intermediates and above, this is where you want to be.

But the pick of the entire 16-day window? Saturday the 29th. The morning shows a solid 10ft of easterly swell (period 9 seconds) with clean cross-off wind. The combined energy is 1772 (very strong). That’s a serious swell—too big for beginners, and only for experts at that size. But if you’re experienced and know the reef, the waves will be powerful and clean. Afternoon drops to 8ft but still clean. It’s the best on offer, no question.

Sunday the 30th still has good 6ft easterly swell but the wind picks up a bit (18 to 22 mph), still cross-off, so it’ll be bumpy but surfable. Then on Monday the 31st, the swell drops right back to nothing. So, if you’ve got a window, aim for the 28th and especially the 29th. It’s a long-range call, so keep an eye on it, but it’s got promise.

Stay stoked.
- Rusty

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