Tarcoola (Chanteez) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Tarcoola (Chanteez).

Right off the bat, the opening of the window is a heavy one. We’re looking at a massive pulse of long-period, south-west groundswell hitting the coast from Monday morning the 7th. That’s a solid 10 ft of swell carrying 17 seconds of period, and the energy is absolutely pumping. But, and it’s a big but, this break can’t handle a swell this size – it’s way too big for this setup. The morning shows some hope with a clean cross-off breeze, but the size is the killer. The afternoon though, that goes sour quick with a strong cross-shore wind on 22 mph making a mess. The water temp is 68°, right on the average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Tuesday the 8th is a similar story. Still an 8 ft swell from the SW, with a solid 16-second period. A fresh cross-off wind keeps the surface clean, but again, the swell size is just too damn powerful for this spot. It’s a “look but don’t paddle” kind of deal for the average bloke.

Wednesday the 9th sees the swell dropping to 7 ft and then 6 ft, but the conditions get marginal. The wind stays clean from the east, but the guidance tells me the tide and the wave shape aren’t really lining up. Nothing to write home about.

Now, Thursday the 10th is where things get interesting. The morning session is the standout of the entire first week. We’ve got a 5 ft SW swell, 15-second period, and the wind goes light offshore from the ENE at 9 mph. The forecast is for clean, gentle offshore breeze. This is excellent for the experienced surfer who knows how to handle a good, long-period SW groundswell. This is the window to get out there. The afternoon drops off as the wind swings onshore.

The rest of the week from Friday the 11th through Sunday the 20th is a mixed bag of marginal conditions, onshore winds, and cross-chop. The swell fluctuates between 4 ft and 7 ft, but the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, making the surface lumpy and choppy. Saturday the 12th has a 6 ft swell but the wind is onshore. It’s not worth the paddle.

Looking further out, Monday the 21st looks like the real standout of the entire 16-day forecast. We’ve got another monster building, with a staggering 12 ft SW groundswell on the Monday afternoon packing 18-second period and energy readings through the roof. The morning has an 8 ft swell from the SW. The wind is light onshore from the west. This is a beast that will be roaring. Again, this is an expert-only wave at this break; it’s going to be way too big for beginners, and even intermediate surfers will be in over their heads. A promising, but less certain call for that far out.

In the end, this stretch is a tale of two extremes. A lot of days with surf that’s either too big, or just poorly conditioned. If you’re an advanced surfer looking for a clean, powerful wave, the only two real bets are the morning of Thursday the 10th, and then, if you’re game for a late-forecast gamble, the morning of Monday the 21st. For everyone else, it’s a lot of waiting.

- Rusty

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