Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Tankers.

First up, the water temp is sittin’ at a nice 81°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year. No surprises there.

Now, the honest truth is, for a solid stretch of the next 16 days, Tankers is lookin’ flat or poor. We’ve got a big dry spell from now, the 31st of August, all the way through the 2nd of September—no surf worth paddling for. You get small, weak 2ft stuff from the SSW, but the wind’s a stiff cross-offshore at 19 to 22 mph, and the wave energy is weak to moderate at best. It’s clean but lifeless.

The first faint glimmer shows up on Wednesday the 3rd of September. Swell jumps to 8ft from the east, but the wind is howling cross-off at 25 mph, so you’re lookin’ at a big, messy, blown-out mess with a short 8-second period. Combined energy is strong at 1204, but this is more for the kite crew than us paddle surfers. This holds through the 4th as well.

Now, let’s talk about the one true standout in this whole outlook. Saturday the 5th of September is your best shot. Morning sees a solid 7ft east swell with a proper 13-second groundswell—that’s long-period energy. Combined energy is very strong at 1884. Wind is a moderate easterly cross-off at 16 mph, keeping it clean. The following morning, Sunday the 6th, is also decent with similar 6ft east swell and moderate cross-off wind. This is the pick of the bunch, but with that size and a long period, it’ll be better for the more experienced crew. Keep in mind, with a long period east swell at a reef break, the sets might be a bit more drawn out, but the shape should be there.

After that, things quickly fade into poor or marginal conditions for the rest of the run. The 7th of September brings a punchy 4ft SSW groundswell with a 17-second period, and by the afternoon the wind goes glassy with a light westerly at 3 mph. That’s your second highlight—glassy, clean, long lines, but a bit small. Crowds are possible at Tankers, especially on a day like that.

From the 8th of September onward, it’s all small signals: 1ft to 4ft, weak energy mostly under 600, short to moderate periods, and cross or onshore winds ruining any chance of quality. By the 12th and 13th we’re back to tiny 1ft to 2ft swell with almost no energy. A couple of glassy moments on the afternoon of the 13th give you a little knee-high dribble, but not worth a trip.

So, bottom line: a long, quiet spell to start, then a brief window of proper, strong swell from the 5th to the morning of the 7th. After that, it’s back to waiting.

Rusty.

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