Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let me tell you what’s happening. Grab a coffee, because it’s going to be a quiet few days to start with.

The first week of this outlook is pretty grim. We kick off on Saturday the 22nd of August with a cross-off wind howling at 22 mph, and while there’s a little 3ft SSW groundswell with a long 16-second period, the conditions are just "poor." The same goes for Sunday and Monday – the swell is there, but that relentless ENE wind is ruining it. You’re looking at a lot of "marginal" tags, not worth paddling out for.

We finally get a sniff of something on the morning of Tuesday the 25th of August. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the east, but it’s a short-period 8-second wind swell with that same fresh cross-off breeze. It’s still a "marginal" call. That pattern of meagre, cross-off, short-period swell continues right through until the end of the month. The energy is there, with moderate readings, but the quality is just not there. It’s a long, frustrating gap of days with nothing truly rideable.

Now, look ahead. The real glimmer comes on Tuesday the 1st of September. That morning, the wind drops to a light 6 mph from the NE, and we see a 2ft SSW swell with a very long 19-second period. The forecast calls for "good surf conditions." This is the first time we get a hint of something decent. But keep an eye on the wind – if it stays light, this could be a sneaky clean session on the flatter days.

The standout. The absolute best bet of this whole outlook is Wednesday the 2nd of September. The morning is calling for a glassy 3ft swell from the south (17-second period) with the wind swinging to a slight 3 mph from the west. That’s glassy conditions. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." This is the one. It’s not big, but it’s clean and likely lined up. Tankers is a consistent reef break, so even at this size, it should offer some shape. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

After that, we lose it again. The rest of the first week of September drops back to poor or marginal conditions with onshore and cross-shore winds. It’s a real mixed bag, so if you can, aim for that Wednesday morning.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts. That one glassy morning could be a beauty.

- Rusty

Read more