
Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 18s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 20s period, SW swell with 3,817 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 18s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Boneyards this week:
The surf forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 18s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Boneyards in the next 16 days are 2.3m 20s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 8s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 20s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get straight into it.
For the first few days, we’ve got a bit of a wait. Friday and Saturday (4th and 5th September) are a write-off. The wind is howling like a beast, strong offshore gales making it near impossible to even get out. The swell is there, but it’s just not worth it. You’ll be fighting the wind more than the wave.
Things start to turn around on Sunday the 6th. The wind eases right back, coming in as a moderate offshore from the ESE. The swell jumps up to a solid 8 ft from the SW, with a very long period of 18 seconds. The combined swell energy is pumping at 3471 (moderate-strong energy). This is groundswell with serious power. That long period means it’s going to be lining up nice and clean, especially with that offshore wind. This is for experienced surfers only – too much power and size for beginners. It’s the best we’ve got in this window, no doubt.
Monday the 7th sees a shift. The wind swings to a cross-onshore, and while the swell sticks around 7 ft, it gets a bit chopped up. Not the clean lines of Sunday.
Tuesday the 8th is a sneaky good one for the more seasoned crew. The morning is glassy, with a light 5 ft swell from the SW (12 seconds). That’s clean, smooth, and very surfable. Combined swell energy is 649 (moderate). The wind is dead calm. This is a moment to get out early and get some silky ones.
After that, we go into a bit of a lull from the 9th through to the 13th. Swell sizes bounce around, but the wind is never quite right – either too strong or onshore. There’s a bit of a pulse on the 10th with a solid 10 ft swell, but the cross-offshore wind is too fresh for it to be truly clean. It’s more for the big-wave chargers who don’t mind a bit of chop.
We finally get another standout on Friday the 18th of September. This is a long-range call, so don’t book your flights yet, but the models are showing something special. The morning is glassy again, with a massive 15 ft swell from the SW at 14 seconds. The combined energy is off the charts at 7296 (very strong energy). This is an expert-only day. That size and power at a reef break like Boneyards will be a proper challenge. For those with the skill, this is the real highlight of the whole outlook.
Boneyards itself is an inconsistent reef break, so any day it’s working is a treat. It’s exposed to the west, and the optimum direction is W, which lines up well with these SW swells. When it’s clean, it can be world-class, but when it’s not, it’s a washing machine. Expect crowds on the good days, especially the 6th and 18th.
Water temp is sitting at 58°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. Not a shock, but you’ll want the thick rubber.
So, to sum it up: Sunday the 6th is the near-term standout, and Friday the 18th is the long-range gem to keep an eye on. The rest is hit and miss.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (gales from the SE on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | SW 25 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
138 | 93 | 91 | 146 | 221 | 3008 | 3681 | 2269 | 1647 | 1564 | 1339 | 539 | 549 | 137 | 208 | 336 | 288 | 976 | 3192 | 3338 | 2265 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:30PM1.15m | 9:46AM1.03m | 10:28PM1.12m | 11:38AM1.11m | 00:04AM1.20m | 12:47PM1.27m | 1:06AM1.32m | 1:35PM1.43m | 1:53AM1.43m | 2:15PM1.56m | 2:33AM1.51m | 2:52PM1.65m | 3:10AM1.55m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:54PM0.53m | 3:14AM0.51m | 3:57PM0.59m | 5:14AM0.48m | 5:54PM0.50m | 6:32AM0.36m | 7:02PM0.35m | 7:23AM0.23m | 7:50PM0.20m | 8:04AM0.12m | 8:31PM0.09m | 8:41AM0.05m | 9:08PM0.01m | ||||||||
7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
— | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:34 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 4 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 |
138 | 93 | 91 | 146 | 154 | 3008 | 3681 | 2269 | 1647 | 1564 | 1339 | 539 | 549 | 121 | 172 | 336 | 288 | 706 | 3192 | 3338 | 2265 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | SSW 10 | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | WSW 12 | SW 16 | WSW 12 | SW 14 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SW 16 | — | — | — |
— | 18 | 56 | 57 | 38 | 81 | — | — | 221 | 79 | 39 | 355 | 67 | 137 | 208 | 30 | 18 | 976 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 11 | — | SW 25 | SW 10 | — | — | — | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SE 8 | SW 16 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | W 11 | S 8 | SSE 8 | — | — | — |
— | — | 2 | — | 221 | 23 | — | — | — | 20 | 33 | 14 | 41 | 102 | 65 | 21 | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 3 | SSE 8 | SSE 3 | S 6 | SSE 6 |
1499 | 1576 | 1295 | 1410 | 1448 | 1187 | 619 | 579 | 688 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 28 | 8 | 139 | 248 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1470 | 203 | 25 | 13 | 25 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 162 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Boneyards Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Boneyards provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Boneyards can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Boneyards 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 (Boneyards) 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 Boneyards 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Cape Town? If you are looking for accommodation near Boneyards, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cape Town, consider staying in Cape Town which is 26 km (16 miles) away. Other places in and around Cape Town where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Robben Island which is 37 km (23 miles) away, Bellville, Kayamnandi and Stellenbosch.










