Big Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.79° S 18.46° E

Big Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 04 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Big Bay sea temperature is
12.9°C
2.7° 

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 5 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 21s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 2,968 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period with SSE 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 (Sep 05) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.5m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s is also forecast. 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 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) 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 1.3m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Sat 5th Sep)7ft (2.1m) 8s
Best Surf 2AM (Sun 6th Sep)5ft (1.6m) 21s
Most Powerful 5PM (Thu 10th Sep)8ft (2.5m) 14s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's on the table for Big Bay over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, there’s no surf to speak of for the next couple of days – a quiet start. But hold onto your board shorts, because from Sunday the 6th, things get seriously interesting.

The standout of the whole run is undeniably Sunday morning, September 6th. We’ve got a solid 7ft swell rolling in from the southwest, and that’s not just any swell – the period is a deep 18 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, with heaps of energy – you can feel it in the combined energy (3104). This is the kind of day for experienced surfers only, as it’ll be a bit much for the groms. The wind is a gentle offshore breeze from the ESE, so it’s going to be clean and lined up. This is the one you call in sick for.

The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so a normal spring suit will do.

After that burner, Thursday the 10th is another cracker worth a mention. The morning has a 7ft southwest swell with a 15-second period, and the wind is a gentle cross-offshore from the south. By the afternoon, it actually bumps up to 8ft from the southwest with a 14-second period. The combined energy is strong (2228 and 2968), so the ocean is going to have some serious grunt. These are excellent conditions for experienced crew, with clean, powerful lines.

Looking further out, the very end of the forecast window looks promising. Thursday the 17th into the weekend sees another excellent pulse. The morning of the 17th has an 8ft swell from the west with a 13-second period, and a clean offshore wind from the SE. The energy is pumping (4179). The afternoon is even cleaner with a moderate offshore. This is a long-range call, so it's promising but we’ll keep an eye on it, but the signs are really good.

For the rest of the run, there are other sessions with solid swell, like the 8ft on Saturday the 12th, but the wind is messy or onshore, so you'll be hunting for a sheltered bank. The Saturday morning, September 19th has a very interesting 7ft south swell with glassy conditions – that could be a sneaky good window if you’re awake early.

One thing to note: Big Bay is an exposed spot. When that long-period swell (over 15 seconds) hits, it’s going to be best on the points or reefs if you can find them; at the beach, it might wall up a bit. The crowds can be a problem here, especially on the good days – "often" is the word, so be prepared for company.

In the second week, the pattern looks a bit more mixed, with building wind and lumpy conditions, then a clean-up mid-week. Focus your energy on that Sunday the 6th and the Thursday the 10th.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

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

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
2
5
5
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
2
2
1
2
4
4
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SSE
8
2.1
SSE
8
1.6
S
10
1.6
SW
21
2.2
SW
18
1.9
SW
16
1.8
SW
15
1.9
SW
14
1.8
SW
13
1.3
WSW
12
1
WSW
12
0.7
WSW
12
0.9
SW
11
1.1
SW
13
0.9
WSW
13
1.2
WSW
12
2.2
WSW
15
2.5
SW
14
2.3
WSW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
402
545
455
2326
2946
1852
1343
1383
1155
473
294
140
172
400
290
397
2228
2968
1807
Wind (km/h)
20
ESE
20
SE
20
SE
20
ESE
15
ESE
10
SSE
10
E
10
WNW
10
SSW
5
ESE
0
NNE
10
SSW
10
SSE
15
S
20
S
15
SE
15
S
10
SE
10
SSE
Wind State
off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
on
cross
off
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
8:31PM1.15m
9:47AM1.03m
10:28PM1.12m
11:37AM1.12m
00:03AM1.20m
12:46PM1.27m
1:05AM1.32m
1:34PM1.43m
1:53AM1.44m
2:15PM1.57m
2:33AM1.51m
2:51PM1.66m
3:10AM1.55m
Low Tide
3:14AM0.50m
3:58PM0.59m
5:14AM0.47m
5:54PM0.50m
6:31AM0.35m
7:02PM0.34m
7:23AM0.22m
7:50PM0.20m
8:04AM0.12m
8:31PM0.08m
8:41AM0.05m
9:08PM0.01m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:58
6:58
6:56
6:54
6:54
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:29
6:30
6:30
6:30
6:31
6:32
6:32
 mm
Temp °C
14
16
22
18
20
25
23
23
24
21
25
24
21
19
20
15
16
19
21
Feels °C
9
11
18
14
17
24
22
22
23
20
25
22
20
18
18
12
14
18
21
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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