Alkantstrand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s look at what’s on offer for Alkantstrand over the next couple of weeks.

The first week is a bit of a mixed bag, with some proper power coming through but also some tricky conditions. The real standout is Monday, 10 August, but there’s a big caveat.

We start with a bit of a nothing burger on Saturday morning, 8 August. A tiny 1ft SSW swell with a very long 18-second period, but the wind is howling onshore from the NNE at 12 mph, making it pretty poor. The afternoon is no better, with the wind picking up to 19 mph onshore. The combined swell energy is weak (277 and 360). Not worth a paddle.

Sunday, 9 August, offers a glimmer. The morning has a 5ft NNE swell, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore, making it marginal. The real action is Sunday afternoon. The wind swings offshore from the SSW at 6 mph, and the swell is a clean 2ft from the SSW with a lovely 16-second period. The combined energy is moderate (492). That’s clean, lined-up waves for a longboard or a funboard. Not a ripper, but a nice session.

Now, Monday, 10 August, is the big one. A solid 15ft S swell on the morning, dropping to 13ft in the afternoon, with a period of 10 seconds. The wind is cross-offshore from the S at 28 mph, which would normally be a dream, but the combined swell energy is massive (3639 and 2653). The report says it’s too big for this break. Unless you’re a proper expert on a big-wave gun, give this a miss. It’s going to be a washing machine. Tuesday, 11 August, has a 10ft SSE swell in the morning, dropping to 8ft in the afternoon, still with a cross-offshore wind. The energy is still very strong (1314 and 1212), but it’s still over 8ft, so it’s expert-only territory. Wednesday, 12 August, is similar with 8ft and 10ft swells, still too big for most.

The best clean surf for the average surfer looks like Thursday, 13 August. The swell drops to 7ft in the morning from the SE with a 9-second period, but the wind is offshore from the WSW at 9 mph. The combined energy is still strong (833), but it’s manageable. The afternoon is the real gem: the swell is 6ft from the SE, the wind is light offshore from the SW at 6 mph, and the energy is 684. The report says “very good surf conditions.” That’s your window for some solid, clean waves. The water is about average for the time of year.

Friday, 14 August, the swell backs off to 4ft and 4ft from the E, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and the surf is poor. Saturday, 15 August, is similar with onshore winds and a small 3ft E swell. A bit of a dud weekend.

Sunday, 16 August, morning has a small 2ft E swell with a 11-second period and a light offshore wind from the SW at 3 mph. The energy is moderate (303). Clean, small waves. Monday, 17 August, morning is similar with a 3ft E swell, a 11-second period, and a cross-offshore wind from the SSW. That looks alright for a small, clean session.

After that, the second week looks rough. From Tuesday, 18 August, through to Saturday, 22 August, it’s mostly onshore winds from the NE and ENE, with the swell building from 4ft to 6ft. The wind is onshore and the waves are lumpy and poor. The combined energy picks up, but the conditions are no good. The 23rd shows a 8ft S swell with a 9-second period, but the wind is onshore again, making it a mess.

So, the best bet is Thursday, 13 August afternoon. The 6ft SE swell, light offshore wind, and clean conditions will be the pick of the window. Just be aware that with a 9-second period, the sets might be a bit close together, but it’s a solid, surfable swell. The water is about average for this time of year at Alkantstrand.

Rusty

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