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Surf Forecasts:

Big Bay surf break

Big Bay surfForecast / Cape Town / South Africa

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 1 am Wednesday 17 Sep 2025 SAST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Big Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Big Bay sea temperature is
14.7° C
 (Which is slightly cooler than normal)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Big Bay this week:

The surf forecast for Big Bay over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 17) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.8m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Big Bay in the next 12 days are 3.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 17) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Friday (Sep 19) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Wed 17th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 12s
Best Surf 8AM (Wed 17th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 12s
Most Powerful 8AM (Wed 17th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Bay over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 
12 DaysHourly
Print Table

Short Range Forecast Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
17
Thursday
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
4
2
4
4
2
3
3
1
2
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
2
1
0
3
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
3
SSW
2.5
SSW
2.3
SSW
1.6
S
1.5
S
1.5
S
1.6
S
1.4
SSW
1.3
S
0.8
S
0.8
S
0.7
S
0.5
S
0.4
SSE
0.9
SSE
0.5
S
0.6
SW
1.3
SSW
0.9
SW
1
WSW
1.1
SW
Period(s) (?)1212121111111110101211111212710136121114
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)24592027149664054356367537733217416312369468256108137205251536
Wind
(km/h)
10
SW
15
SW
5
S
10
S
20
S
10
SE
5
SSE
5
SSW
5
NE
20
NW
10
W
5
SSE
0
WSW
10
SSW
15
N
10
W
10
SW
5
SE
15
SSW
30
S
15
SE
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
on		crosscross-
off		cross-
off		cross-
off		offcross-
off		crossglassononcross-
off		glasscrosscrossoncross-
on		glasscross-
off		cross-
off		cross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
12:47PM
1.23
1:07AM
1.25
1:31PM
1.36
1:48AM
1.34
2:06PM
1.47
2:22AM
1.41
2:36PM
1.55
2:52AM
1.46
3:04PM
1.59
3:21AM
1.48
3:31PM
1.60
3:48AM
1.48
3:58PM
1.58
4:16AM
1.44
Low Tide
/ height (m)
7:05PM
0.38
7:20AM
0.30
7:48PM
0.26
7:57AM
0.21
8:22PM
0.17
8:28AM
0.15
8:52PM
0.11
8:57AM
0.11
9:20PM
0.07
9:24AM
0.11
9:47PM
0.07
9:50AM
0.13
10:13PM
0.10
Wednesday
17
Thursday
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
Sunrise6:43--6:41--6:39--6:39--6:37--6:35--6:35--
Sunset-6:37--6:38--6:39--6:39--6:40--6:42--6:42-
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
Rain (mm)
--------------25-----
Temp. °C141413141513172019171614171816161615171715
Feels °C (?)11101012128151818141515171615121414141311
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Eyeball surf reportRecent Eyeball Surf Reports for Cape Town

  1. weather stationWind Update Continuing clean conditions at Big Bay (calm at Plattekloof Glen wx 14 km from Big Bay). 2.7m 12s groundswell from the SSW with a 1.9m 11s groundswell from the WSW. 2 swells combining so expect closeout sets.

    1 hour 46 minutes ago Big Bay
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1 h 46 min ago

0 km/h
N
Clean
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Big Bay surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.

View detailed surf forecast for Big Bay at:
surf-forecast.com

Information about the Big Bay Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Big Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Big Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Big Bay 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 (Big Bay) 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 Big Bay 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.

Big Bay is 8 km (5 miles) from the very large city of Robben Island. If you plan a holiday in Cape Town, look for hotels and other accommodation in Robben Island. Robben Island has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as cheap car hire and transport links.

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