Alkantstrand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Alkantstrand over the next 16 days.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a quiet start. The first few days are a write-off – Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd are looking pretty grim with messy onshore winds and poor surf. No point even thinking about a paddle. We’re going to see a bit of a gap before anything decent shows up.

The first real action flickers to life on Thursday afternoon, the 23rd. The wind finally swings offshore from the SW, cleaning things up. We’ll see a 6ft swell from the NE, but it’s a short-period windswell, so it’ll be a bit bumpy. Still, it’s the first clean window.

Now, Friday the 24th is a big one, but it’s not for everyone. The swell pumps up to 10ft from the S, gusty offshore winds. The wave energy is huge – we’re talking 1747 (combined energy) – that’s proper strong. But honestly, that’s too big for this break. The reports are saying the swell is predicted to be too big for Alkantstrand. This is strictly for the big-wave chargers; if you’re a beginner or intermediate, give it a wide berth. It’s a caution, not a celebration.

A solid window opens up on Saturday morning, the 25th. The swell drops to a much more manageable 4ft from the SSW, but here’s the kicker: the period is 15 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, long lines that will hold up well. The wind is light and cross-offshore, making for clean conditions. The combined energy sits at 990 (moderate), so there’s some push. This is a standout for the average surfer – clean, shaped waves, and not too crowded if you’re early. Water temp is sitting at 72°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no need for a thick wetsuit.

We then hit a long dry spell. From Saturday afternoon right through to the end of the month, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on, and the swells are messy, small, or just poor. It’s a frustrating stretch of days with nothing to recommend.

There’s a glimmer on Thursday the 30th, in the afternoon. A clean 4ft swell from the S, with a very long 17-second period, light offshore breeze from the S. The combined energy is a hefty 1087 (strong). This is an excellent session for experienced surfers only – that long period will make the waves suck up and pitch, but it might be a bit too straight for the beach break. It’s a proper groundswell, so the lineup will be select.

Moving into August, it’s a mixed bag. The first week of August is mostly onshore wind and building swell, but it’s all wind-affected and messy. Not worth your time.

But hang in there. On Thursday the 6th of August, we get a beauty. Morning session: 5ft SSW swell, 15-second period, light offshore wind from the WSW. Combined energy is 1166 (strong). Clean, lined-up sets. The afternoon is a bit smaller at 4ft, but still glassy and clean. This is the real standout of the whole run – a classic winter groundswell with clean conditions. The water will still be averaging around 72°, so it’s pleasant.

Bottom line: The first standout is Saturday morning, July 25th – clean, long-period groundswell for everyone. The second, and the best of the lot, is Thursday, August 6th – a classic clean swell day for experienced surfers. The rest of the window is a waiting game with a lot of onshore junk.

Rusty.

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