
Surf Forecasts:
Big Bay surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, WSW swell with 5,118 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s 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 Thursday (Jul 30) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 6s. 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 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for the next sixteen days.
We’re starting off on a positive note. Big Bay is looking clean and inviting from the very first morning, with the combined swell energy sitting at a nice moderate level and a 5ft southwest groundswell rolling in with a juicy 13-second period. The wind is light and offshore out of the east, so conditions will be clean right from the get-go on Thursday, July 30th. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there. This is a fairly consistent spot, but it can get crowded, and with conditions this good, expect company in the water.
Thursday morning is the real standout here early on. That 5ft SW swell with light offshore wind makes for a very good outlook. The afternoon holds up too, with a touch of cross-off wind and a still-healthy 5ft SW swell.
Friday, July 31st stays clean in the morning with a smaller 4ft SW swell and offshore winds. The afternoon gets a bit crossed up and marginal.
Saturday, August 1st is another cracker of a morning. Clean, glassy conditions with a 4ft SW swell, but now the period has stretched to a very long 14 seconds. That long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely at a point or reef setup, but at a beach break it can get a bit straight and tricky. Still, a great option for the intermediate surfer.
Sunday, August 2nd morning is glassy, with light northerly winds and a clean 4ft SW swell. Nice, small, fun waves.
Monday, August 3rd morning looks like the absolute gem of the first week. Totally glassy, zero wind, and a clean 5ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period. The combined energy is solid. This is the morning to be out there if you can.
The pattern continues with smaller, clean surf through Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, but then things get interesting.
Wednesday, August 5th sees a big jump in size. The swell hits 8ft on Wednesday morning and 12ft by the afternoon, but the wind turns nasty – strong cross-onshore, blowing at 16 mph, and the combined energy surges. That’s too big and messy for most paddlers. Honestly, it looks more like a kite-surfing setup than a clean surf day.
Thursday, August 6th is a different story. The swell drops slightly to 10ft in the morning and 12ft in the afternoon, but the wind swings around to a clean cross-offshore from the SSE at 9 mph. The combined energy is massive. This is excellent surf, but only for experienced surfers. The wave heights are over 8ft, so this is expert territory.
Friday, August 7th stays big with 12ft SW groundswell, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making it pretty rough. Not your day unless you’re desperate for size.
Saturday, August 8th drops in size but brings rain and moderate cross-shore winds. Not the best.
Sunday, August 9th is a monster. A 21ft SW swell rolls in on the morning, with offshore winds and a combined energy reading through the roof. That’s not for surfing – that’s a big-wave event for tow crews only. The forecast itself says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. So stay well clear.
Monday, August 10th is still huge but cleaner, with 13ft SSW groundswell and gentle offshore winds. Again, expert only.
The swell finally backs down through the middle of the month. Tuesday, August 11th offers a much more manageable 6ft S swell with clean conditions. Wednesday the 12th has a clean, glassy afternoon with a 5ft SW swell. Thursday, August 13th afternoon is glassy again with a nice 5ft WSW swell. And Friday, August 14th morning brings in a 10ft WSW swell with clean cross-offshore winds – another one for the experienced crew.
So, to sum it up: the first week has some very good, clean, manageable surf. The standout is Monday, August 3rd morning – glassy, chest-high, clean lines. Then we hit a wall of big, windy, and dangerous swell mid-period before things settle back down for the more experienced surfers in the second week.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
976 | 796 | 669 | 545 | 416 | 355 | 245 | 581 | 494 | 486 | 479 | 435 | 449 | 700 | 440 | 671 | 382 | 258 | 480 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | on | cross |
High Tide | 3:38AM1.41m | 4:03PM1.49m | 4:09AM1.43m | 4:33PM1.52m | 4:41AM1.42m | 5:03PM1.53m | 5:13AM1.39m | 5:34PM1.52m | 5:48AM1.34m | 6:08PM1.47m | 6:28AM1.27m | 6:48PM1.41m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:40PM0.25m | 9:50AM0.13m | 10:11PM0.22m | 10:18AM0.12m | 10:42PM0.20m | 10:47AM0.13m | 11:13PM0.20m | 11:16AM0.16m | 11:47PM0.21m | 11:48AM0.21m | 00:24AM0.25m | 12:25PM0.29m | 1:09AM0.31m | ||||||
— | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | |
6:04 | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 22 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 |
976 | 796 | 669 | 545 | 416 | 355 | 245 | 581 | 494 | 486 | 479 | 435 | 449 | 700 | 440 | 671 | 382 | 258 | 480 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | W 19 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 15 | — | SW 12 | — | W 11 | WSW 10 | SW 10 |
16 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 60 | 215 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 106 | — | 282 | — | 85 | 139 | 120 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | WSW 18 | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | SE 12 | S 8 | — | — | — | SW 18 | SW 16 | W 10 |
— | — | — | — | 13 | 60 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 89 | 96 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
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.










