
Surf Forecasts:
Albatross surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 6 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SW swell with 4,512 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period with SW 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 Thursday (Aug 06) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Albatross in the next 16 days are 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Albatross over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya from the desk. Let's get stuck into what our little patch of coastline has cookin' for the next couple of weeks.
We're lookin' at a serious run of groundswell energy, no doubt about it. The first proper call is for Thursday morning, the 6th of August. We're talkin' a solid 12 ft swell out of the SW, with a meaty 13-second period. The energy is absolutely throbbing, clocking in at 4,512 units of raw power. That’s a lot of water moving. Now, this is a beach and reef setup, and with a swell that size and a long period, it's gonna be a hell of a lot of wave, but it'll be breaking a bit straight on the beach. The real beauty here is the wind – a gentle offshore from the SW. That's glassy, clean, and perfect for the more experienced crew. The water is a chilly 59°, and let me tell ya, that's a whopping 7° colder than normal for this time of year. You’ll need a good thick wetsuit, no doubt. This is a standout for the advanced surfers, but it is fairly sheltered, so it won't be as wild as an open ocean spot. Still, the vibe is "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is the best on offer, but it's a beast.
Friday morning, the 7th, we drop to a 10 ft SW swell, still a solid 13-second period. The energy is still massive at 2,715. But the wind swings to a light E, pushin' cross-on, so it's gonna be a bit of a bumpy ride with small wind ripples. Not terrible, but not the glassy perfection of Thursday. We'll call it marginal.
Saturday the 8th has a bit of a split personality. Morning is a write-off with a strong 22 mph WSW cross-off wind makin' a mess of a 8 ft swell. But the afternoon session? That's where the magic is. The wind swings back to a moderate offshore from the WSW, cleaning up the 8 ft face. The energy is still strong (1,919), and the comments say "expect very good surf conditions." That's a solid session.
Sunday the 9th brings back the big stuff. A 12 ft SW swell, 13-second period, and a massive 4,041 energy reading. The morning has a moderate offshore from the WSW again, but it's under "mod rain." That's fine, the rain won't hurt the waves. The afternoon, however, the wind swings to a strong 25 mph southerly. That's a cross-off, but at that speed, it's gonna be a battle. The morning is the pick.
From Monday the 10th right through to the middle of the week, the swell slowly backs off, but it stays in the 8 ft to 10 ft range with decent periods. The wind is a bit of a mixed bag, mostly cross-off or cross-on. It's a good run of consistent, solid waves, but nothing is screaming "perfect" like that Thursday or Saturday afternoon.
Then we hit a bit of a lull. The 12th and 13th see the swell drop to under 5 ft, and the wind is messy. A bit of a pause.
But hold on to your board, because around the 18th of August, Tuesday, we get a second wind. A 7 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and the wind is glass. Zero wind. Slight air. The energy is still strong at 1,667. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." That's a promising long-range call, and it lines up nicely. The 20th of August also has a 8 ft SW swell with a clean cross-off wind in the afternoon, which is another good one to keep an eye on.
So, the lay of the land: Thursday morning, the 6th of August, is the big, powerful, expert-only standout. Saturday afternoon, the 8th, is the clean, fun session for the strong intermediate. And keep a distant eye on Tuesday the 18th and Thursday the 20th for another clean run. The last week of the forecast has some bigger swell again, but the wind is a gamble.
Alright, that's the picture from here. A bit of a wild ride, but there's gold in them there swells.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Sat morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Sun afternoon, light winds from the SSW by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
4512 | 3567 | 2418 | 2715 | 2862 | 3517 | 2462 | 1919 | 4309 | 4041 | 3254 | 3609 | 1849 | 2090 | 2596 | 2173 | 1731 | 475 | 718 | 932 | 1021 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 8:17AM1.16m | 8:59PM1.29m | 9:50AM1.06m | 10:46PM1.22m | 11:59AM1.09m | 00:33AM1.28m | 1:24PM1.24m | 1:44AM1.41m | 2:20PM1.42m | 2:35AM1.53m | 3:04PM1.59m | 3:18AM1.63m | 3:44PM1.72m | 3:57AM1.68m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:21PM0.48m | 3:39AM0.54m | 3:54PM0.59m | 5:36AM0.55m | 6:00PM0.57m | 7:09AM0.43m | 7:29PM0.44m | 8:08AM0.28m | 8:27PM0.28m | 8:52AM0.14m | 9:13PM0.15m | 9:31AM0.03m | 9:54PM0.07m | ||||||||
7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | |
— | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | |
mm | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 14 |
Feels °C | 16 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | E 10 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 |
4512 | 3567 | 2418 | 2715 | 2862 | 3517 | 2462 | 1919 | 4309 | 4041 | 47 | 3609 | 1849 | 2090 | 2596 | 2173 | 1731 | 475 | 233 | 932 | 1021 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 6 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | S 14 | E 10 | SE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SW 11 | SW 10 |
115 | 92 | 66 | 45 | 45 | 66 | 116 | 84 | 53 | 46 | 47 | 100 | 17 | 323 | 27 | 28 | 103 | 250 | 174 | 166 | 85 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | — | — | — | — | — | E 10 | — | — | — | — | E 9 | SSW 24 | SSW 21 | S 10 | SSW 23 |
— | — | — | — | — | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 114 | 718 | 138 | 303 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | ESE 6 | — | W 4 | WSW 6 | — | — | SW 13 | — | SE 8 | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 6 | E 8 | E 6 | E 8 |
— | — | — | — | 91 | — | 33 | 162 | — | — | 3254 | — | 205 | — | 202 | 151 | 60 | 202 | 428 | 302 | 690 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 143 | 0 | 60 | 198 | 2 | 143 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3028 | 260 | 562 | 198 | 183 | 172 | 562 | 140 | 172 | 198 | 140 |
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.











