Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.

The only spot on the radar for this period is Tankers. The water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook starts off pretty flat and quiet. Right now, we’re looking at a bit of a slow start with no real action to speak of until the afternoon of Thursday, August 20th. That afternoon, the wind goes glassy, which is a beautiful thing. The swell is a small 2 ft from the SW, with a very long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, but it's small. The combined energy is moderate (362). It’s a clean, calm afternoon, but the waves are on the tiny side.

Friday the 21st looks similar. The mornings are a bit messy with an onshore wind, but the afternoons glass off again. The swell holds at 3 ft from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds. Still a long-period groundswell, but small. The energy is moderate (450 in the morning, 375 in the afternoon). It’s a beginner-friendly size, but don't expect much push.

Now, from Saturday the 22nd through to the end of the month, things get a bit tricky. The wind turns cross-offshore and gets strong, blowing 19 to 25 mph from the ENE for days. That’s clean-looking waves, but the wind is so strong it’s going to be hard work. The swell is all over the place, ranging from 2 ft up to 5 ft, but the periods are short at 7 to 8 seconds. That’s junky, windswell. The energy is moderate to strong (up to 579), but with that wind, it’s more of a kitesurfing show than a surfing one. The conditions are described as poor for most of this stretch.

We get a short, promising window around the 26th and 27th. The swell is still small to modest (2 ft to 3 ft), but the period is back to a very long 17 to 18 seconds from the S and SSW. The energy is strong (up to 734). The wind is still a moderate cross-off, so it’s clean, but it’s a contest between the long-period groundswell and the strong side wind. Not ideal for a standout, but the best of a pretty average run.

The real standout, if you can call it that, comes on Monday, August 31st. The morning sees a bump in swell to 6 ft from the E, with a 13-second period. The combined energy hits a strong 1238. This is the biggest swell in the whole forecast. However, the wind is still cross-off at 16 to 19 mph. At 6 ft, it’s getting into the territory where it’s a bit much for absolute beginners, but for the average surfer, it’s a solid step up. The main issue is that persistent, strong side wind. It’s going to be lumpy, but for a reef break like Tankers, that long-period E swell will wrap in.

After that, things drop off quickly. The first few days of September are back to small, weak swells and poor conditions, with a brief flare-up on the 3rd of September with a 3 ft S swell and onshore wind, but that’s more of the same.

Overall, the best bet is the afternoon of the 20th and 21st for clean, glassy conditions, even if it’s small. For a bigger wave, the morning of the 31st of August is the biggest, but it’s windy. This is a solid beginner’s break, but the conditions are inconsistent for good waves. The forecast looks changeable, so don’t write it off completely.

Rusty.

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