Big Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.79° S 18.46° E

Big Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 08 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Big Bay sea temperature is
11.0°C
4.6° 

Big Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Big Bay surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 16s period, SW swell with 2,558 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s 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 (Sep 08) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 17s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Big Bay in the next 16 days are 2.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 5PM. 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 4s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Tue 8th Sep)5ft (1.5m) 12s
Best Surf11PM (Sat 12th Sep)7.5ft (2.3m) 16s
Most Powerful 5PM (Sat 12th Sep)7ft (2.2m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Bay over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let’s break down what's coming down the line for the next couple of weeks. Things start off clean and manageable, but the real heavy stuff is a bit further out. There's a rough patch in the middle where the wind turns nasty, then a massive pulse of groundswell for the big-wave crew around mid-month. The water is running a serious chill compared to normal for September, so you'll want a thick suit.

The action kicks off on Tuesday the 8th at Big Bay. It’s glassy first thing, with a light N wind and a clean 3ft swell from the WSW. The period is a solid 12 seconds, so there’s proper energy behind it (combined energy of 476). This adds up to well-shaped, punchy waves – a solid start. The water is sitting at 52°, which is a massive 8° colder than average for this time of year. That’s a huge anomaly, so it’s going to feel properly freezing. The morning session Tuesday is the pick of the first couple of days. Wednesday keeps the S wind cross-off, with the swell holding around the 3ft mark. It stays clean and surfable.

Thursday the 10th sees a noticeable jump. The morning delivers a 8ft swell from the WSW, with a 14-second period. That’s got some serious power (combined energy of 2346), but with 8ft on a beach setup, this is only for the experienced crew. The wind is a light S cross-off, keeping it clean, but this is big territory for the average surfer. Friday drops back to a 6ft swell, though the wind picks up through the afternoon, making things a bit average.

Saturday the 12th is mixed. The morning sees a 6ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period, kept clean by a moderate cross-off wind. The afternoon, however, features a big 7ft swell with a very long 16-second period. That’s a lot of water moving (combined energy of 3665). Long-period groundswell like this can be tricky – it stands up fast and can close out on beach breaks.

Now, Sunday the 13th is a standout. Glassy conditions in the morning with a light NNW wind and a clean 7ft swell from the SW at 14 seconds. Combined energy is a healthy 1567. This is prime, clean surf for the experienced surfer. Not a day for beginners – 7ft is a proper step up – but for the intermediate-to-advanced surfer, this morning window is the real deal. The afternoon sees a light cross-onshore that scuffs the surface.

After that, we hit a rough patch. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are pretty grim. The wind turns cross-onshore and gets strong, with the Tuesday afternoon seeing a massive 10ft swell but with a strong NW wind making it lumpy and messy. The combined energy readings are enormous (over 9000 on Tuesday arvo), but the quality is zero. This is far more interesting for kite surfing than paddling.

The absolute standout of the entire forecast is Wednesday the 16th of September. Mark it down. The morning delivers a 13ft swell from the WSW with a 16-second period, combined energy of 8169, and a light SE cross-off wind keeping it clean. This is exceptional, expert-only territory. Over 8ft is for the big dogs, and 13ft is a serious ocean. The afternoon drops to 12ft but is still very clean. This is the biggest, best quality swell of the run, but you need to know what you’re doing.

Thursday the 17th is still solid, with a 10ft swell in the morning, though the period drops to 8 seconds, making it more of a wind-swell combo. The afternoon goes glassy with an 8ft S swell – still excellent for experienced surfers. We then see clean, glassy mornings around the 19th and 20th, with solid 5ft to 6ft SW swells. The runs into Monday and Tuesday of the following week (21st and 22nd) look good too, with clean, offshore winds and consistent surf around 6ft. The 23rd also looks excellent with clear skies and clean 6ft surf.

So, the best on offer is Wednesday the 16th for the heavy-water crew, and Sunday the 13th morning for the experienced surfer wanting a clean, powerful session without the monster size.

Keep an eye on the last part of the forecast – it’s showing some promise.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun morning).

Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
1
3
4
3
3
3
1
2
3
3
5
4
3
3
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
WSW
12
0.7
WSW
12
0.9
SW
11
1
SW
13
0.9
WSW
13
1.5
WSW
12
2.4
WSW
14
2.2
WSW
13
1.9
WSW
13
1.7
WSW
12
1.5
WSW
12
2.1
S
8
1.9
SW
14
2.2
SW
16
2.3
SW
15
2
SW
14
2
SW
13
1.6
SW
13
1.3
SW
12
1
SW
12
1.1
SW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
294
140
172
342
295
680
2346
1672
1207
830
605
496
1368
2558
2178
1450
1387
878
479
272
309
Wind (km/h)
5
N
15
S
10
SE
10
S
20
SSE
5
SSE
10
S
20
S
20
SSE
20
SSE
30
SSE
20
SSE
25
SE
25
SSE
10
ESE
5
NNW
10
WSW
10
NNE
15
NNW
25
NNW
25
N
Wind State
glassy
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
1:34PM1.43m
1:53AM1.44m
2:15PM1.57m
2:33AM1.51m
2:51PM1.66m
3:10AM1.55m
3:25PM1.70m
3:44AM1.55m
3:58PM1.68m
4:17AM1.52m
4:29PM1.62m
4:48AM1.45m
4:59PM1.52m
Low Tide
7:50PM0.20m
8:04AM0.12m
8:31PM0.08m
8:41AM0.05m
9:08PM0.01m
9:15AM0.02m
9:42PM-0.01m
9:48AM0.03m
10:15PM0.01m
10:19AM0.08m
10:45PM0.07m
10:49AM0.16m
11:15PM0.17m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
rain showers
light rain
light rain
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:54
6:52
6:50
6:50
6:48
6:47
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:31
6:32
6:32
6:34
6:35
6:36
6:36
 mm
1
1
1
Temp °C
25
24
21
21
22
16
18
19
15
17
19
15
17
18
16
22
23
17
16
20
18
Feels °C
25
21
20
20
21
15
17
17
11
14
15
11
14
14
14
22
21
17
15
16
16
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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