Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up at Tankers. It’s a reef break, consistent, and can get pretty crowded. Water temp is sitting around 82°, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell. The first few days are a write-off, honestly. Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th are looking poor, with messy cross-offshore winds and weak, short-period slop. The combined energy is moderate at best, but the wave quality is just not there. You’d be better off staying home.

We start to see a glimmer of hope on Thursday the 27th morning. The swell picks up a bit to 4ft from the south, with a very long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 1093. The wind is still cross-offshore, but it’s a lighter breeze. This is a reef, so that long period should wrap in nicely. It’s still a marginal call, though, and the afternoon drops off.

Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th are back to smaller, weaker stuff. The long-period swell is still around, but the height is down to 3ft-3ft, and the wind is puffing up again. It’s inconsistent and not worth getting excited about. The rest of the first week and into the start of September is a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The wind stays stubbornly cross-offshore, and the swell is either too small or too weak. There’s a solid 8 or 9 days here where you’d be wasting your time.

Now, if you’ve got some patience, there’s a real standout on the horizon. Skip ahead to Sunday the 6th of September. That afternoon, the stars align. The swell is 3ft from the SSW, with a very long period of 16 seconds and a combined energy of 1148 – that’s strong. But the real kicker is the wind. It’s a gentle breeze, cross-offshore, and the report says “clean.” That’s the kind of glassy, offshore-angled wind that makes a reef like Tankers absolutely sing. The report calls it “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and I’d agree. For a reef break, that long period is going to push in some clean, powerful lines with nice gaps between sets. It’s the best on offer, by a long shot.

Monday the 7th of September is worth a mention, too. The swell is still there, 4ft from the east in the morning and 4ft from the SSW in the afternoon, with strong energy. The wind is lighter, but it’s more onshore, so the quality won’t be as pristine as the day before. Still a solid option if you missed Sunday.

Tuesday the 8th of September afternoon sees another bump. 5ft east swell, 12-second period, combined energy of 1070, and the wind is back to a clean cross-offshore. It’s a close second to that Sunday session.

That’s the long and short of it. There’s a big dry spell, but if you can wait until the 6th of September, you’ll be rewarded.

Rusty.

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