Tarcoola (Chanteez) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for Tarcoola (Chanteez) over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, the big picture: this is a period of two halves. For the first week and a bit, we're staring down the barrel of some seriously hefty swell that's way too big for any kind of fun on a regular board. Then things start to settle down, and there's a genuine window of quality surf late in the run. The water temp is sitting pretty average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

So, the run kicks off Thursday the 13th of August. We've got a solid 8ft SW groundswell rolling in with a period of 15 seconds, carrying a massive 2965 units of energy. The wind is offshore from the ENE in the morning, which would be glassy perfection, but the problem is the size. At 8ft, this is already pushing expert-only territory. This is a really tricky spot with that much water moving around. The same story holds for Thursday afternoon and all through Friday – the swell stays too big and the wind kicks around onshore. It's a bit of a tease, honestly.

Then we get to the first real standout: Saturday the 15th of August morning. The swell drops to a much more manageable 6ft from the SW, still with a period of 14 seconds. The energy is down to a moderate 1290. The wind is a cross-offshore NNE breeze, keeping it clean. This is the sweet spot. It's still an advanced wave, and you’ll have the place to yourself as the crowds are only sometimes there. This is the session to circle on the calendar for the first week.

The rest of that weekend and into early next week is messy. Sunday the 16th has some clean morning waves at 4ft but the quality is questionable. Monday the 17th is written off with strong, poor onshore winds and rain. Tuesday the 18th sees another massive pulse of 12ft SW swell at 6397 units of energy – that's a very strong, angry ocean. Too big for any paddle surfer.

The middle of the week from Wednesday the 19th to Friday the 21st is a write-off. The swell is still too large, the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and it's just a washing machine.

Now, for the second week, we start to see a glimmer. Saturday the 22nd of August morning has 7ft of SW swell, but it's a marginal call with a cross-offshore wind. Then Sunday the 23rd of August morning is another big pulse at 8ft, but with a moderate offshore wind from the ENE. Too big for most, but if you're an expert charger, that's a clean, powerful wave.

The final standout, and the best bet for the whole run if you're not into 10ft+ waves, is Monday the 24th of August morning. The swell drops nicely to 5ft from the SW with a 14-second period. The combined energy is a modest 859, but the wind is a light, cross-offshore breeze from the north, making for clean conditions. The forecast is for very good surf. This is the long-range promise that is worth keeping an eye on – it looks set to deliver a proper day. Tuesday the 25th is back to the 10ft range, so it’s a small window.

So, to sum it up: ignore the first half of the period unless you're a tow-in specialist. Saturday the 15th morning is your early bet, but the true standout is Monday the 24th morning – clean, chest-to-head high swell, and a light cross-offshore wind. That's the one you want.

Rusty.

Read more