Surf Forecasts:
Albatross surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 6,691 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 11s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Albatross this week:
The surf forecast for Albatross over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Albatross in the next 16 days are 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 8s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Albatross over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty, and let's get straight into it.
Alright, so we've got a blank run for the first few days, but things are shaping up to turn on in a big way. The wait is worth it.
We're kicking off on Saturday, 1st August, but the truth is, the surf is poor. Albatross is a beach and reef set-up that's sheltered, but with a meek 3ft swell from the SW and a moderate onshore breeze, it's just not worth paddling out. The water's sitting at 63°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want a thicker suit. The combined energy is weak (201). Sunday holds the same story with a bit more swell, but the wind is still on it.
Monday, the 3rd of August, is where it finally gets interesting. The morning glass-off is a beauty. The swell jumps to 6ft from the ESE, and with a 5 km/h NE breeze turning it glassy, Albatross will be clean. The combined energy is moderate (1364), and the period is a solid 11 seconds, so you'll get some decent shape. This is the standout for the early part of the week.
Tuesday morning starts to wash out with a cross-onshore breeze, but Tuesday afternoon brings a shift. The wind swings to the SW at 25 km/h, turning offshore, and the swell is a clean 4ft from the SW. The energy is moderate (759) and the surf is looking good. Wednesday morning is clean with a gentle offshore and a 3ft SSW swell, but the real gem is Wednesday afternoon. A 5ft SW swell with a 15-second period, light offshore wind, and the combined energy is ramping up to 1263. The waves will have real push.
Now, Thursday the 6th of August is for the experienced crew only. The swell is 13ft from the SW, with a 13-second period, and the wind is offshore all day. The combined energy is a massive 5721 in the morning and 4149 in the afternoon. This is strong, powerful, and clean. Don't take a log out there. Friday eases off a bit, with a 8ft SW swell, but the wind is a bit wonky, so the conditions are marginal.
The second week kicks off with a bang. Saturday the 8th of August is massive. A 15ft SW swell with a 14-second period, light offshore wind, and a combined energy of 8200. This is for experts only. The following days are a mixed bag of big swell and strong winds, making it more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle session at times.
The real long-range standout hits on Wednesday, 12th August. The morning is glassy, with a 10ft swell from the SSW and a 17-second period. The combined energy is a massive 6992. This is a very long-period groundswell, so it's going to be super clean and powerful at Albatross, but watch out, it might run a bit too straight on the beach. Best for the reef sections. The afternoon is the same but with a light offshore breeze. This is the one to circle on the calendar, but it's a long way out, so keep an eye on the forecasts.
The last few days of the outlook fade out. Saturday the 15th of August is a nice little glassy morning with a 4ft SW swell, but it's a drop-off from the big stuff. By Sunday the 16th, the wind is howling and the surf is poor again.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 161 | 150 | 261 | 286 | 386 | 990 | 798 | 672 | 528 | 570 | 418 | 303 | 268 | 1155 | 2570 | 5721 | 4149 | 3104 | 2474 | 2254 | 2103 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-on | off | off | cross | off | off | cross | on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:27PM1.66m | 5:33AM1.54m | 5:57PM1.64m | 6:05AM1.48m | 6:29PM1.60m | 6:40AM1.39m | 7:06PM1.52m | 7:22AM1.28m | 7:53PM1.41m | 8:17AM1.16m | 8:59PM1.29m | 9:50AM1.06m | 10:46PM1.22m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:12AM0.07m | 11:34PM0.18m | 11:40AM0.09m | 00:07AM0.21m | 12:10PM0.15m | 00:42AM0.27m | 12:44PM0.24m | 1:24AM0.35m | 1:25PM0.35m | 2:18AM0.45m | 2:21PM0.48m | 3:39AM0.54m | 3:54PM0.59m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | |
 | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — |
 | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 21 | 16 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 27 | 29 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 12 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | E 8 | SW 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 161 | 150 | 261 | 588 | 386 | 990 | 798 | 672 | 541 | 394 | 335 | 290 | 240 | 1155 | 2570 | 5721 | 4149 | 3104 | 2474 | 2254 | 2103 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | S 10 | SW 13 | S 9 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 7 | E 9 |
| kJ | 40 | 76 | 18 | 286 | 7 | 287 | 330 | 643 | 528 | 570 | 418 | 303 | 258 | 186 | 148 | 87 | 88 | 62 | 42 | 102 | 188 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 13 | S 10 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 13 | — | S 12 | S 18 | WSW 5 | SSW 14 | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 3 | 16 | — | 283 | 236 | 3 | — | 3 | 6 | 17 | 268 | 108 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | — | ESE 12 | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | W 4 | — | WSW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | — | WSW 4 |
| kJ | 688 | 674 | 728 | — | 1538 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 14 | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | 16 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 140 | 140 | 140 | 30 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 52 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Albatross Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Albatross provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Albatross can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Albatross surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Albatross) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Albatross may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Albatross is 18 km (11 miles) from the city of Kruisfontein. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Kruisfontein. Kruisfontein has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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