Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been watching this stretch of coast for years. Here’s the deal for the next couple of weeks in feet and degrees Fahrenheit.

We’re looking at a pretty quiet period overall, with a long, slow start. The first real surf worth talking about doesn’t show up until Sunday the 5th, and even then, it’s a bit of a tease. The water’s sitting at about 80°F, which is roughly 1°F warmer than average for this time of year, so nothing wild, just a touch on the warm side.

For the first week, from Sunday the 5th right through to Friday the 11th, it’s mostly a write-off. The swell is small, around 2 ft to 3 ft, and the wind is a steady cross-off from the ENE at 18-22 mph. That breeze keeps the surface clean, but the wave energy is weak to moderate. On Sunday the 5th morning, we’ve got a combined energy of 716 – that’s moderate – but the comment says it’s marginal. The swell is a long-period 18 seconds from the SSW, which is a groundswell, but at only 3 ft, it’s just not enough to get the reef at Tankers doing anything fun. The period is so long that at a reef break like this, it might wrap in alright, but the size is too small. By Monday the 6th, the energy drops further, and the conditions are described as “poor.” This flat spell drags on until the 12th.

Now, things start to tick up a little from Sunday the 12th onwards. The swell picks up to a consistent 3 ft, still from the SSW, with a 16-second period. The combined energy on the 13th morning hits 839 – still moderate, but the best we’ve seen. The wind is still cross-off from the ENE, but it drops to 16 mph, which is a “moderate breeze” and keeps the waves clean. It’s still marginal, but it’s the most promising stretch of the first week. The crowd situation at Tankers is “often,” so expect company.

The real standout, the one day I’d circle on the calendar, is Monday the 20th afternoon. The swell bumps up to 5 ft from the east, with a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is 417 – still moderate. The wind swings to a light cross-off from the east at 6 mph, which is a “light breeze” and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s the cleanest and most powerful wave of the whole run. At 5 ft, it’s a solid size for a reef break, but with that short period, it’ll be a bit more chunky and less organized. It’s not a beginner wave, but for an intermediate surfer, that’s the session to aim for. The crowd factor is still “often,” so get there early.

The other date worth a mention is Friday the 17th morning. The swell is 5 ft from the east, again short period at 7 seconds, with a very light ESE breeze at 3 mph. That’s about as glassy as it gets, but the energy is moderate at 546 and the forecast is still marginal. It’s a close second, but the 20th has the edge on size and wind.

So, overall, it’s a slow start with a lot of flat days. From the 5th to the 11th, you’re looking at a week of barely anything. After that, it picks up to marginal but rideable. The one day to really get excited about is Monday the 20th afternoon. That’s your best bet. Keep your eyes on the forecast, though – it tends not to stay this quiet for long.

Rusty.

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