Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up.

The pattern starts off with a bit of a wait, but we’ve got a solid pulse lining up for the end of July. The real standout is shaping up to be a Tuesday morning session that’s worth marking on the calendar. The water is sitting at a comfortable 80°F, which is about average for the time of year, so no need to hunt for a thicker wetsuit.

Tankers is the only spot in the frame, and it’s a consistent reef break that’s exposed to the south. The first few days are a write-off, but hold tight. On Monday, 28 July, the morning sees a clean 7ft swell from the east, with a period of 13 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and with a gentle cross-off breeze, it’s going to be clean and lined up. The combined swell energy is strong at 1618, so there’s plenty of push. This is for experienced surfers only – it’s a bit too big for beginners. The afternoon stays fun but gets a bit windier and messier, so the morning is the call.

Tuesday, 29 July drops right off. A weak, onshore wind and a tiny 2ft SSW swell with only 213 energy means it’s not worth getting wet. The rest of the week through to the end of July and into early August is a real struggle. We get a burst of 8ft swell from the east on Saturday, 1 August, but it’s short-period (8 seconds) and comes with a strong breeze hitting 25 mph. That’s a messy, unruly wave – only for the brave or the kite surfers, honestly. The energy is still high at 1198, but with that wind, it’s not a pleasant paddle.

We then hit a long, flat gap. From the afternoon of Sunday, 2 August all the way through to Monday, 11 August, the surf is either tiny, weak, or blown out. Most days show swell under 2ft, often with cross-shore winds and combined energy readings below 300. That’s just not enough to push a decent wave. There’s a small flicker on Friday, 7 August with a 6ft east swell, but again, it’s short-period and windy.

The very end of the run, on Tuesday, 11 August afternoon, shows a 4ft east swell with 8 seconds, but the wind is cross-shore and the energy is only 404. It’s still a “poor” call, so don’t get your hopes up.

Bottom line: The best window is Monday morning, 28 July, at Tankers. Get in early for the clean, powerful east swell. After that, it’s a long, quiet stretch.

- Rusty

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