Tankers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Overall, we’re looking at a pretty quiet stretch ahead. The first solid window is a Thursday afternoon glass-off, but don’t get too excited. After that, a long run of poor conditions kicks in, with strong cross-offshore winds and mostly messy or gutless surf. The wind is relentless from the east-northeast for days on end. There’s a gap of about four days with no real recommendation, from the Friday morning right through to the following Monday. The second week does offer a few flickers of hope, but they’re all marginal calls.

Thursday 20 August (afternoon)
This is your best bet of the whole period, and it’s a real beauty for what it is. Tankers is looking like a quiet, glassy dream. The wind is glassy from the WNW at just 3 mph, and we’ve got a clean, long-period groundswell from the SW. Swell is a small 2 ft, but with a period of 17 seconds, there’s proper energy in the water. You’ll get long, lined-up waves that hold their shape. The water is a warm 81°F with only a slight anomaly, so it’s about average for this time of year, and the combined energy is moderate (362). This is a beginner-friendly reef break, but with that long period, it’s going to be a dream for anyone on a log or a mid-length. The crowd factor is listed as "often", so don’t expect to be totally alone, but with conditions this clean, it’ll be worth sharing a few.

Friday 21 August (morning)
The wind swings to the SE at 6 mph, making it cross-on, and the ride quality drops. The swell is still 3 ft from the SSW, with a long period of 17 seconds, but the onshore breeze puts a few ripples on the surface. It’s a marginal call for tide and quality. The afternoon cleans up again with glassy conditions, but it’s just the one session.

The Long, Windy Slump
From Saturday 22 August through to Monday 25 August, it’s a write-off. The wind is solid ENE at 19 to 25 mph, cross-offshore, making the surface clean but the wave faces are going to be blown out and hard to ride. The swell is small, around 2 ft to 2 ft, and the period drops a bit. The combined energy is moderate (up to 528), but with that wind, it’s just not surfable. Honest truth, with that setup and the beach-reef combo, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The Second Week (Thursday 27 August onward)
We get a few more promising signs here, but they’re all marginal. The wind stays strong from the ENE, but the swell starts to show a bit more size and energy. On Thursday 27 August morning, we see a 4 ft SSW swell with a period of 17 seconds, combined energy of 1000, which is strong. But the wind is a cross-off 16 mph. It’s still a "marginal" call. The period is long, so it’s a groundswell that will break a bit straight at the beach, but the reef here might handle it better. Not a standout, but worth a look if you’re desperate.

Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August
The swell shifts to the east, with heights around 3 ft to 4 ft and periods dropping to 13-14 seconds. The wind remains a punishing 19 mph ENE. The energy is still moderate (up to 855), but it’s all blown out. It’s a poor run.

The September Flicker
Tuesday 1 September (afternoon)
This is worth a mention. The wind goes glassy, dead calm, from the south. The swell is tiny, only 1 ft, but it’s from the SSW with a 19-second period – that’s very long period, meaning it’ll be incredibly clean and lined up. The combined energy is weak (260). It’s a sliver of hope for a glassy, clean session on the smallest of waves. The best conditions for the absolute smallest surf.

Wednesday 2 September to Friday 4 September
The wind returns, this time from the SE and ESE, and the waves stay small. Wednesday morning has a 3 ft SSE swell with a period of 18 seconds, combined energy of 534, but the cross-on wind makes it marginal. The end of the forecast period is a gentle breeze and tiny 2 ft surf, with poor conditions.

So, to wrap up: Thursday 20 August afternoon is the one real standout. It’s the only window with glassy conditions and a proper, long period swell. The rest of the run is a battle with the wind. Keep an eye on the 1st of September for a potential glassy surprise, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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