Surf Forecasts:
Big Bay surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 8,675 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Big Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Big Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Big Bay in the next 16 days are 4.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, I’ll tell ya, the surf is looking pretty bleak for the next few days here at Big Bay. It’s Monday the 20th right now, and the water’s sitting at 58°, which is about normal for this time of year. The first few days are a write-off, with messy, poor surf conditions. Nothing to get excited about until Tuesday the 21st.
Tuesday morning, the 21st, things start to turn. We’ve got a solid 7ft swell from the SW, with a very long period of 14 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and the wind is dead glassy with a slight air from the SE. That’s going to be clean, but the combined wave energy is strong at 1946. This is for experienced surfers only, as the size is pushing it. The afternoon holds an 8ft SW swell, but it gets a bit cross, so it’s a bit more marginal.
Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd are a mixed bag. The swell hangs around the 7ft mark from the SW, but the winds are a bit fickle. Thursday afternoon, the 23rd, is a standout with a 8ft SW swell bringing a combined energy of 1701, and a clean cross-off breeze from the SE. That’s your best bet for the first week.
Now, Friday the 24th is the winner. The morning is a standout. A solid 12ft SW swell, with a period of 15 seconds, and a clean offshore breeze from the E. The combined energy is a massive 4815, which is very strong. This is for experts only, it’s big and powerful. The water is still about average temp for the season.
Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th are still good, with 7ft to 7ft SW swell and clean glassy conditions on Sunday morning. These are solid intermediate options.
The following week starts to get a bit more interesting. Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th are a bit messy with stronger winds, but then Wednesday the 29th brings back clean conditions with an 8ft SW swell. The combined energy is 2782, very strong.
Then, the real one to watch is Friday the 31st of July. The morning is exceptional, with a huge 13ft SW swell, a very long period of 16 seconds, and glassy conditions. The combined energy is a massive 7862. That’s an expert-only, big-wave day. The afternoon gets even bigger at 15ft, but it’s a bit too big and the wind is a touch cross-onshore.
Saturday the 1st of August is still big, with a 13ft swell from the SW, but the winds are clean. After that, the swell drops off quickly into the 7ft range on Sunday, and then fades into nothing by Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th, with only small, weak, poor surf.
Best on offer: Friday morning, the 24th of July, with that 12ft SW groundswell and clean offshore wind. The second standout is Friday morning, the 31st of July, for the big-wave crew, with the 13ft SW swell and glassy conditions.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Thu afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 286 | 258 | 1895 | 2310 | 1724 | 1298 | 1107 | 830 | 932 | 1256 | 8055 | 4815 | 3936 | 2549 | 1206 | 1182 | 976 | 1130 | 1040 | 1281 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | cross | glassy | on | on | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:45PM1.31m | 8:15AM1.07m | 8:37PM1.19m | 9:22AM1.00m | 9:43PM1.11m | 10:48AM0.98m | 11:05PM1.08m | 12:11PM1.02m | 00:19AM1.11m | 1:10PM1.09m | 1:14AM1.17m | 1:53PM1.18m | 1:56AM1.25m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:14AM0.43m | 2:09PM0.51m | 3:14AM0.51m | 3:14PM0.60m | 4:34AM0.55m | 4:48PM0.64m | 5:57AM0.53m | 6:16PM0.61m | 6:58AM0.46m | 7:16PM0.54m | 7:43AM0.38m | 7:59PM0.45m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — |
 | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 8 | SSW 8 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 286 | 98 | 1895 | 2310 | 1724 | 1298 | 1107 | 830 | 932 | 1256 | 8055 | 4815 | 3936 | 2549 | 1206 | 1182 | 976 | 1130 | 1040 | 1281 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | SW 16 | W 9 | W 9 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | WSW 13 | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | WSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | — | SW 14 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 120 | 258 | 39 | 24 | — | 42 | 115 | 308 | 151 | 312 | — | — | — | — | 848 | 578 | 313 | — | 251 | 67 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 6 | S 21 | — | — |
| kJ | 50 | 120 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 133 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 9 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | N 4 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | 69 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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 16 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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