Surf Forecasts:
Big Bay surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,022 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 14s period with WSW 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 Saturday (Aug 29) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Big Bay in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 03) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got the goods on Big Bay. We’ve got a solid run of surf coming through, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag at first. Let’s get into it.
Right off the bat, the water temp here is about where you’d expect for this time of year, so no need to dig out the thickest wetsuit just yet.
The weekend kicks off on Saturday, August 29th, with a clean 5ft swell from the WSW, period a solid 14 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The morning is your window with a light offshore breeze, making for clean conditions. The wave energy is strong, around 828, so it’s got some push. The afternoon sees the wind swing onshore and chop it up, so get it early.
Sunday, August 30th, the swell jumps up to 8ft from the SW. This is getting into expert territory – too big for beginners. The wind is cross-offshore, keeping it clean, but the power is serious (energy at 2051). This is a big, powerful ocean.
Monday, August 31st, the swell drops back to a more manageable 6ft from the SW. The morning is clean with a light offshore breeze, and the energy is still moderate (961). That’s a good day for an intermediate surfer.
But the real standout window starts mid-week. Wednesday, September 2nd, is the first absolute gem. The morning is pumping 10ft of SW swell at 13 seconds, with a light offshore wind. The wave energy is massive (3527), and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a big, clean, powerful day.
The next big highlight is way out there on Saturday, September 12th. This is the crown jewel of the whole forecast. The morning sees an 12ft swell from the SW with a 14-second period, and a gentle offshore wind. The wave energy is through the roof at 4314. The afternoon is nearly as good with 10ft and the same clean offshore wind. Both sessions are rated as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a day for the crew who know what they’re doing and can handle serious size. Mark your calendar.
Between those big days, there’s a pulse of SSW swell around the 4th and 5th of September, but it’s short period (8 seconds) and looks a bit junky. The waves are there, but the quality is not the same. After that, the swell fades into the 2ft to 4ft range from the 7th to the 9th, with clean conditions but small and weak energy. Kite surfers might get more out of those days.
Sunday, September 6th, is a weird one. The morning is a write-off with onshore wind and rain, but the afternoon turns glassy with a 4ft, 15-second groundswell. That’s a sneaky good session if you’re patient.
The end of the second week, from the 10th onwards, looks promising again. Thursday the 10th brings a 6ft, 17-second swell from the WSW, but the wind is messy. Then Friday the 11th has a 10ft, 15-second WSW swell with clean offshore wind, but the energy is a staggering 4692. That’s serious power. It’s a solid day, but the 12th is the best of the best.
For the average surfer, aim for the August 31st to September 1st window, or the glassy session on the 6th. For the experts, September 2nd and especially September 12th are the ones to chase. The crowds at Big Bay can be an issue, so get in early for the standout days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, strong winds from the SE by Thu morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 8 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
454 | 724 | 756 | 793 | 2040 | 1471 | 1106 | 961 | 821 | 460 | 2270 | 2873 | 4022 | 3527 | 3020 | 1775 | 1192 | 889 | 1462 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:44AM1.50m | 4:01PM1.63m | 4:16AM1.50m | 4:31PM1.63m | 4:48AM1.47m | 5:03PM1.59m | 5:23AM1.41m | 5:38PM1.52m | 6:02AM1.31m | 6:19PM1.41m | 6:49AM1.20m | 7:11PM1.27m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:44PM0.10m | 9:49AM0.07m | 10:14PM0.07m | 10:18AM0.07m | 10:45PM0.07m | 10:48AM0.11m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:22AM0.18m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:59AM0.28m | 00:39AM0.29m | 12:46PM0.40m | 1:38AM0.41m | ||||||
— | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | |
6:24 | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 9 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 |
454 | 724 | 756 | 542 | 2040 | 1471 | 1106 | 961 | 821 | 460 | 2270 | 2873 | 4022 | 3527 | 3020 | 1775 | 1192 | 548 | 263 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 11 | WSW 13 | SSE 11 | — | S 7 | — | — | SW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | WSW 11 |
96 | 104 | 39 | 793 | 11 | — | 16 | — | — | 321 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 48 | 85 | 296 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 18 | — | S 11 | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 14 |
62 | — | 61 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | 226 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 123 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | — | SW 10 | — | — | S 5 | S 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | SSE 5 | S 8 | S 10 |
3 | — | 535 | — | — | 55 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 191 | 109 | 889 | 1462 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 70 | 340 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 400 | 0 | 122 | 400 | 1438 |
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.











