Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break down the surf at Tankers for the next couple of weeks in feet and miles per hour, because that’s how we reckon it.

This is a reef break that’s pretty reliable, and it’s open to the south swell. Water temp is about 80°, right where it should be for this time of year.

First few days are a real disappointment. From Thursday the 23rd through Sunday the 26th, the wind is pumping from the east-northeast at 18 to 22 mph, blowing cross-offshore – that’s clean, at least. But the waves are tiny. We’re talking 2 to 3 feet at best, with a combined energy that’s in the 800 to 1100 range – looks like a lot of push for such small waves, but the height just isn’t there. The forecast calls it “marginal,” and honestly, it’s not worth getting wet for.

Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th are even worse. The swell drops, the energy falls to 199 on Tuesday, and it’s called “poor.” The wind is still cross-off, but the ocean is flat.

From Wednesday the 29th through Friday the 31st, the wind shifts to the southeast and east, making things cross-on and cross-off in a messy way. Still small, still weak. The energy climbs to 400-600 on the 30th and 31st, but the waves are barely 2 to 3 feet. Not surfable.

Now we get a little spark on Saturday the 1st of August. The morning brings a 5-foot swell from the east with a short period of just 7 seconds – that’s windswell, not the good stuff. Combined energy is 584, but that short period means it’ll be lumpy and weak. The wind is still cross-off at 18 mph, so it’s clean, but the waves have no punch. It’s a “marginal” call.

The one day that stands out – and I mean the only one – is Monday the 3rd of August. We’ve got a 3-foot east swell with a 16-second period. That’s real groundswell, long lines, proper energy. The combined energy is 746 in the morning and 808 in the afternoon. The wind is a light breeze from the east-northeast at 9-12 mph, cross-off, so the surface will be glassy. This is a reef break, so that long-period swell is going to wrap in and give you clean, orderly waves. Good shape, easy paddling between sets. The water is warm, and crowds are always a possibility here – it’s a popular spot. This is the day to go. For a beginner, the 3-foot waves are fine, but that long period can make the take-off a bit more critical, so keep that in mind.

After that, Tuesday the 4th through the end of the forecast on Friday the 7th of August, it’s back to small, weak, and marginal. The 7th of August morning has a 2-foot swell from the southwest with a 22-second period – extremely long period, but the height is laughable. Combined energy is 514, but there’s nothing to ride.

So the bottom line: Tankers is mostly a bust for the next 16 days. The one bright spot is Monday the 3rd of August. If you want clean, long-period groundswell, that’s your window. The rest of the time, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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