Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break it down in feet and miles per hour for the crew who think that way.

First thing’s first – it’s a long, quiet start at Tankers. There’s a big stretch with nothing worth paddling out for, so don’t get your hopes up too early.

The water’s sitting at about 81°, which is normal for this time of year. No weird anomalies.

From Thursday 27th of August all the way through to about Wednesday 2nd of September, we’re looking at a whole lot of nothing. The swell is tiny – 2ft to 3ft at best – and that easterly wind is blowing 15 to 20 mph, cross-off but just too strong for the small surf to hold up. The wave energy is weak, with numbers in the low hundreds. It’s a no-go.

The first sign of life comes on Wednesday 2nd of September afternoon. We get a 3ft south swell with a 16-second period, and the wind drops to about 15 mph. The energy climbs to 583, which is still only moderate, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a week.

Thursday 3rd of September morning is similar – 3ft south swell, 14 seconds, 15 mph cross-off, energy at 610. Still only marginal.

Now, the real standout. Mark Tuesday 8th of September on your calendar. The afternoon session is the one. A 3ft south-southwest groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind goes dead calm – glassy. The energy is 678, and that clean surface is the key. This is the pick of the whole forecast. It won’t be huge, but it’ll be perfect.

Then Wednesday 9th of September afternoon brings a 5ft easterly swell at 11 seconds, with a light 6 mph cross-off. The energy jumps to 1024 – solid moderate. This one’s for the experienced guys; 5ft is getting a bit much for the beginners.

The biggest day is Thursday 10th of September afternoon. We’re talking 7ft from the east at 10 seconds, with zero wind – absolutely glassy. The energy is a strong 1181. This is a powerful, clean, heavy wave, but 7ft is expert territory only. The short period means it’ll be a bit lumpy and sectiony, but with no wind, it’ll be a sight to see.

Friday 11th of September drops off fast. Morning has 6ft but a light cross-on breeze, and by the afternoon it’s down to 2ft from the south-southwest.

So, the bottom line: you’ve got a long dry spell, then a small window of quality starting Tuesday 8th of September. The Tuesday afternoon glass-off is the best of the lot for clean, lined-up waves. The Thursday afternoon is for the big-wave chargers only. Everything else is a pass.

Rusty.

Read more