Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Tankers. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, you’re going to be waiting a while for anything decent.

Right now, it’s looking pretty flat and unappealing. The first real chance for a wave doesn’t show up until Tuesday the 25th, and even then it’s pretty marginal. The water temp is sitting at a comfortable 81°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The general pattern is a lot of cross-offshore breeze coming from the ENE, keeping the surface clean, but the swell is just not cooperating. The energy is weak to moderate at best, with the combined energy reading around 371 (weak) on Sunday, bouncing up to 612 (moderate) on Tuesday morning, but that’s coming from the east with a short period of 7 seconds, meaning it’s going to be weak and choppy. The best swell direction for Tankers is from the south, and we do see some pulses of that, but they’re small and often mixed with wind swell.

The standout window, if you can call it that, is a long way off. We’re looking at Sunday the 6th of September and Monday the 7th. On Sunday afternoon, the wind drops to almost nothing at 3 mph from the ENE, and the swell is a small 2 ft from the SSW, but with a period of 18 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate (393), and it’s going to be clean. Then on Monday the 7th, we get a glassy morning with 3 ft from the SSW, period of 15 seconds, and the wind is completely calm. The combined energy is moderate (393) and the conditions are described as “good surf.” This is the best bet on offer, but it’s 16 days out, so keep the salt in your hair and don’t book the day off work just yet.

For the first week, it’s a write-off. The swell is small, the period is short, and the wind is moderate to fresh. Tankers is a reef break, so it’s not a total loss, but you’re looking at tiny, weak waves. The best of the first week is maybe Tuesday the 25th morning with 5 ft from the east, but a period of 7 seconds is going to make it a bumpy, short-lived ride. Not worth the paddle.

Overall, it’s a long wait. The surf is tiny and inconsistent for the first 10 days. The only real hope is that second Sunday and Monday, when a proper, long-period groundswell rolls in. For now, I’d say wax the board and wait.

Rusty.

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