Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a look at what’s coming up for Tankers. To be honest, the next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag, and we’ve got a long stretch of nothing special before we see a flicker of hope.

We start off with some surf on offer from Sunday the 5th of July, but it’s not much to write home about. The water is sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Sunday afternoon kicks things off with a 3 ft SSW swell rolling in with a period of 18 seconds. That’s a proper long-period groundswell, which means some nice energy, but the combined energy is moderate at 583. The wind is a cross-off from the ENE at 22 mph, keeping things clean, but it’s a fresh breeze that’ll have you working for it. The waves are clean, but the surf quality is marginal at best, and the tide could be a factor. This is a reef break, so those long-period swells can really line up, but it’s not exactly pumping.

From Monday the 6th through to Wednesday the 8th, we’ve got a flat spell. The swell drops to 3 ft, but the wind stays strong and cross-off, and the forecast just says “poor surf conditions” every window. The combined energy drops from 462 down to 200, so the ocean is just not feeling it. Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th are even worse – swell down to 1 ft–2 ft, and the energy is weak (113–180). A 20-second period swell on Friday afternoon sounds fancy, but at 1 ft, it’s a lake.

Then we hit Saturday the 11th of July – a bit of a tease. The morning brings a 6 ft E swell, but it’s short-period at 8 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 674 (still moderate). The wind is still 22 mph cross-off, and the surf is called “marginal.” That’s a no-go for me.

Sunday the 12th through Tuesday the 14th gives us a slight improvement. The swell is consistently 3 ft from the SSW with periods of 14–16 seconds, and the energy builds through the week, hitting 903 on Tuesday morning. The wind drops to a gentle breeze on Tuesday (9 mph), which is the best wind we’ll see all forecast. Still, the surf is only “marginal,” and it’s a cross-off wind, not offshore. The best chance here is maybe Tuesday the 14th morning with that 3 ft W swell and 16 seconds, but it’s still a grind.

The standout moment, if you can call it that, is Friday the 17th of July. The morning brings a 5 ft E swell with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is 660 (moderate). The wind is a moderate 12 mph cross-off, and the surf is rated a 2 out of 10 – the highest score in the whole window. It’s not big, it’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got. The swell direction (E) is a bit off from the optimum (S) for this reef, but it’s clean. This is a beginner-friendly break, and 5 ft is about the top end for learners, so it’s doable.

After that, we head into the second week and it gets grim. From Saturday the 18th right through to Monday the 20th, the swell sits around 4 ft–5 ft from the east with short periods of 7–8 seconds, and the wind is back up to 19–22 mph. The combined energy is weak (286–442), and the forecast is “poor surf conditions” every session. The wind is cross-off, but it’s so strong it’ll be bumpy and unpleasant.

So, what’s the call? The best on offer is Friday the 17th of July morning at Tankers – 5 ft of clean, cross-off conditions, and the only real chance at a wave all fortnight. It’s not a standout by any stretch, but it’s the only window that’s worth a paddle. The rest is a long, dry spell with a few flickers of marginal swell. The crowds at Tankers are often there, so expect company if you go.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts, and don’t get your hopes up too high. Rusty out.

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