Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer at Tankers. It’s a reef break, consistent, exposed to the south swell, and it’s a beginner-friendly spot. The water is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year.

Honestly, for the first few days, it’s a bit of a struggle. We’ve got a persistent cross-off shore wind from the ENE blowing at 18 to 22 mph, and while the waves are clean, the energy is just not there. The swell is tiny, around 2ft to 3ft, and the wave energy is moderate (around 816 to 1044). It’s marginal surf, and the tide conditions are questionable. You’d be scratching for a ride.

The real glimmer in this 16-day window hits on Tuesday the 28th of July. The morning brings a jump in swell to 5ft from the east, with a period of 13 seconds, and the wind drops right back to a light breeze at 6 mph. The combined energy climbs to 1070, which is a solid moderate-to-strong push. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The waves will have some shape and power, and that light wind will keep it clean. The afternoon sees it bump up to 6ft and 1204 energy, though the wind picks up a touch to a gentle breeze, still clean. This is the standout session. The swell direction is from the east, which is offshore for Tankers, so we’re in for a treat.

After that glory day, it fades out. Wednesday the 29th has a bit of leftover energy, only 3ft, but the wind goes light and variable, and the energy is weak (274). It’s a good surf rather than excellent. From Thursday the 30th onward, it’s a write-off. The wind turns onshore or cross-shore, the swell drops, and the conditions are poor. There’s a run of three or four days with nothing worth paddling out for.

We do see a bit of a pulse come back around the 1st and 2nd of August, with swell heights hitting 6ft, but that’s short-period windswell (7 to 8 seconds) and the wind is howling at 22 mph. That’s clean but messy, and the energy is moderate. It’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session. The following days from the 3rd to the 5th of August have small, clean, marginal waves in the 3ft to 4ft range, decent for a beginner on a longboard if the tide lines up, but nothing to get excited about.

So, the takeaway: if you’re an experienced surfer, the morning of Tuesday the 28th of July is your day. That’s the one to circle. For everyone else, it’s a long wait for very average conditions.

Rusty.

Read more