Surf Forecasts:
Big Bay surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 12s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, W swell with 4,691 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 12s 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 11s. 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 13s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) 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 1.5m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Big Bay.
We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up, but it’s a tale of two halves. The first week has some real clean gems, but the second half turns into a wild, windy mess that’s only for the hardcore or the kited. The water is sitting at 56°, which is a solid 4° colder than usual for this time of year – you’ll feel that sting, so don’t forget the booties.
The standout window kicks off Sunday the 23rd and rolls through Wednesday the 28th. Sunday afternoon picks up a clean 7ft swell from the WSW with a 12-second period, pushing through with a solid 1532 (moderate to strong energy). The wind is a cross-off from the S at 9 mph, keeping things tidy. This is quality, powerful surf for experienced paddlers.
Monday morning the 24th holds onto that momentum. Swell drops slightly to 6ft from the SW, still 12 seconds, with a lighter cross-off from the SSE. The energy is still strong at 1044. This is another excellent session for the intermediate crew.
The real gem of the week looks to be Wednesday morning the 26th. The swell is a clean 5ft from the WSW, a 13-second period, and the wind swings offshore from the ESE at 9 mph. It’s a gentle offshore breeze and clean. The energy is a solid 1001. This is as good as it gets for a weekday session – glassy, lined up, and all yours.
Things start to fall apart Thursday the 27th with a cross-on wind and a drop in quality. By Saturday the 29th, the wind cranks up to 19 mph from the NNW with a cross-on, lumpy mess. Sunday the 30th sees a massive 12ft swell from the W, but with onshore winds and a 3593 (very strong energy) – it’s a churning, dangerous ocean. That setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Then we hit a massive gap. From Monday the 1st of September through to Friday the 5th, the swell gets huge – peaking at 16ft on the 2nd and 3rd with a 9089 energy reading. But the wind is howling cross-on or onshore, making it a total write-off for safe paddling. The forecast is consistently poor.
Finally, on Saturday the 6th of September, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. A 8ft swell from the SSW with a 13-second period, cross-off wind from the S at 12 mph, and the energy is still huge at 4011. It’s clean and powerful, but it’s over a week out, so keep an eye on it. Monday the 7th also shows a 8ft SW swell, but the wind shifts to a cross-on, making it a bit of a gamble.
So, the call is clear: hit Wednesday morning the 26th for the best, cleanest waves. The rest of the run is either blown out, dangerously big, or a long-shot promise for the second week. Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the NNW by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1532 | 1236 | 974 | 376 | 1171 | 1949 | 1748 | 1151 | 669 | 525 | 353 | 463 | 370 | 351 | 274 | 433 | 452 | 560 | 501 | 1267 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:01AM1.13m | 1:36PM1.19m | 1:40AM1.24m | 2:08PM1.31m | 2:13AM1.33m | 2:36PM1.42m | 2:44AM1.41m | 3:04PM1.52m | 3:14AM1.47m | 3:32PM1.59m | 3:44AM1.50m | 4:01PM1.63m | 4:16AM1.50m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:27AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | 7:59AM0.30m | 8:17PM0.34m | 8:27AM0.21m | 8:46PM0.24m | 8:54AM0.14m | 9:15PM0.16m | 9:21AM0.09m | 9:44PM0.10m | 9:49AM0.07m | 10:14PM0.07m | |||||||
— | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | |
6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 16 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 |
1532 | 1236 | 974 | 376 | 1171 | 1949 | 1748 | 1151 | 669 | 525 | 351 | 463 | 370 | 351 | 274 | 433 | 452 | 560 | 501 | 1267 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 13 | SW 10 | WSW 11 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | S 8 | S 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | WSW 16 | SSE 11 |
— | — | 70 | 270 | 249 | — | 148 | 154 | 187 | 317 | 353 | 237 | 183 | 138 | 121 | 174 | 128 | 47 | 211 | 22 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SW 14 | SW 10 | — | — | — | SSW 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | — | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 | — | WSW 10 | WSW 18 | SSE 11 | — |
— | — | — | 203 | 108 | — | — | — | 145 | 217 | 121 | — | 25 | 86 | 102 | — | 31 | 61 | 40 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 4 | S 5 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | — | — | — | N 3 | NW 3 | — | SSE 3 | S 4 | — | NNW 5 | NW 5 | NNW 4 |
— | — | 25 | 41 | 121 | 130 | 243 | 176 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 19 | — | 91 | 66 | 31 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 400 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 280 | 36 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











