Tarcoola (Chanteez) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

The next 16 days are all about Tarcoola (Chanteez). We’ve got a consistent, solid run of SW swell coming through, but here’s the deal – most of it is going to be too big for this break, and when it’s not, the wind is going to mess things up. We’re looking at a window where you’ve got to pick your moments, and honestly, there are only a couple of times when it all lines up.

The first real standout is Friday morning, July 31st. We’ve got a solid 6ft SW swell with a 17-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy, the kind that makes your heart beat a little faster. The combined energy is strong, at 1858, and the light N cross-offshore wind is going to have it glassy and clean. The water’s a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 66°F, which is about two and a half degrees off the average – noticeable, but you’ll be fine in a good suit. This is an advanced wave, so it’s not for the faint of heart, but for those who know, this is the pick of the first week.

Now, the other morning sessions up until Tuesday, August 4th, are all going to be too big for this spot. The swell keeps pumping in from the SW, but the size is just overwhelming it. Tarcoola is exposed, and when it’s pushing 7ft to 8ft, it’s going to be a washing machine. The winds are favorable at times, like on Sunday morning with that ENE offshore at 12 mph, but the sheer size is the limiting factor. We're talking 8ft, 7ft – it’s just too much juice for the break to handle properly.

Then we hit a wall on Tuesday, August 4th. The swell jumps, the wind turns onshore, and it’s just a mess. This starts a rough patch. From Tuesday through the weekend, it’s all onshore, choppy, and blown out. The energy readings spike – we’re talking 3199, 4030 – but it’s all stormy, cross-onshore junk. It’s not surfable, and frankly, it would be more interesting for the kite crew than us paddle surfers. By Saturday, August 8th, the wind is howling at 31 mph and the swell is at 12ft – that’s just a hard no.

The big pulse peaks on Sunday, August 9th, with a massive 15ft SW swell and energy readings over 10000. It’s massive, but completely unsurfable here, and the onshore wind just ruins any chance of it being clean.

Looking into the second week, the pattern stays the same – oversized and unruly. From August 10th through the 12th, we’re seeing 10-15ft of SW swell, all with cross-onshore winds. Even though the energy is through the roof, it’s just too big and messy for Tarcoola. The period gets down to 13-14 seconds at times, which adds more chop and makes it even more of a handful.

The last hope comes on Thursday morning, August 13th. The swell finally drops to a more manageable 8ft, and we get a light NNW cross-shore wind with a 16-second period. It’s still big and the energy is at 2601, but it’s the most promising window in that second week. It’s a long-range call, so don’t bank on it, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. The 13th is a Thursday, and it’s the only day in that week that looks like it has a chance. It’s not perfect, and it’s still on the bigger side, but it’s the best of a rough bunch.

After that, the run fades out with smaller, but still messy, waves and onshore winds. There’s just nothing there.

So, to sum it up: you’ve got one clean, quality session on Friday morning, July 31st, and maybe one more promising one on Thursday morning, August 13th, which is more of a long-shot. Everything else is either too big, too windy, or a combination of both. Get on that Friday morning surf – it’s the best the next two weeks have to offer.

Rusty.

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