Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer. To be honest, it’s a quiet stretch ahead for Tankers. There’s no real stand-out swell on the horizon, and the wind is a bit of a pest for most of it. The water is sitting at 27°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be reaching for the steamer.

We start out on Thursday 23 July with a small 3ft SSW swell pushing through, but it’s got a cross-off breeze at 35 km/h. The energy is moderate (1039), but the wind is strong enough to keep things a little messy. Saturday and Sunday 25-26 July are more of the same – small 3ft to 3ft SSW swell, but that cross-off wind is still firing at 30 km/h. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The combined energy drops through the 800s, so it’s not packing much punch.

There’s a bit of a shift on Monday 27 July, with the swell switching to the east at 3ft to 4ft, but the period is short at 13-14 seconds, so it’s local wind-swell, not groundswell. The energy is moderate (654-699), but the wind is still a factor.

Things settle down a little on Tuesday 28 July morning, with a gentle cross-off breeze and a 2ft SSW swell, energy dropping to 203. It’s small, but clean. Wednesday 29 July morning is the best bet in the whole outlook. We’ve got offshore wind from the NNE, light at 15 km/h, with a 3ft S swell. The energy is low (280), but the conditions are clean and glassy. It’s a small window, but it’s the closest we get to a decent paddle.

After that, it’s a long, bleak run. From Thursday 30 July right through to Wednesday 5 August, the swell is tiny, the wind is mostly a fresh cross-off breeze, and the energy levels are weak to moderate. The period on the 31 July and 1 August drops to just 7 seconds, which is horrible for a reef break – it’ll be all bump and no push. The best wave heights are around 3ft to 3ft, but the wind is 30-40 km/h, making it a struggle. On 2 August, the swell is a pathetic 2ft SSW, with a period of 14 seconds, but the energy is only 262, and the wind is still 30 km/h. Not worth getting wet.

The very end of the outlook, from 5 August, sees the swell drop to 1ft to 2ft, with glassy conditions on the 6 August. The wind goes light or even calm, and the energy is tiny (113-171). It’s beautiful, but there’s barely a ripple. You’d be chasing tiny lines.

The only real standout is the Wednesday 29 July morning session. It’s not big, but the offshore wind and clean conditions make it a worthwhile punt for a grovel on a shortboard. For the rest of the 16 days, it’s a long wait for much of anything. The forecast can change, but right now, the reef is looking quiet.

Rusty.

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