
Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, WSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 15 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, WSW swell with 4,467 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s 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 13) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 14s 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 3.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 12) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 15th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up at Boneyards (reef). It’s a tricky little spot that doesn’t fire all that often, so when it does, you’ve gotta be ready. Over the next 16 days, there are some real pulses of power coming through, but the wind and conditions are going to keep things interesting.
The forecast kicks off with a solid pulse Saturday September 12th. We’ve got a big 7 ft SW groundswell pumping in with a 15-second period, and the energy reading is a massive 2038—that’s proper grunt. But here’s the catch: the wind is howling out of the SE at 28 mph. It’s offshore, so the faces will be clean, but paddling out is going to be a full-on battle. This is for experienced surfers only, and even then, it’s a grunt. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Sunday the 13th is where it starts to get nice. The swell drops a touch to 7 ft SW, still a long 14-second period, and the wind eases to a moderate 16 mph offshore. The energy is still well up at 1665, and conditions are clean and much easier to handle. For the experienced crew, Sunday morning is the standout – solid waves, offshore, and that reef will be grooving.
Monday the 14th is a write-off. The wind swings cross-onshore, and it gets lumpy and messy. Not worth paddling out.
Into the second week, things get a bit more promising. Saturday the 19th sees another solid 8 ft SW swell, with a fresh offshore wind. The energy is 2233, so plenty of push, and it’ll be clean. Definitely a day to watch. But the real gem looks like Sunday morning September 20th. We’ve got 6 ft of SW swell, and the wind drops to glass – 3 mph. The energy is 1103, and the word is “glassy.” That’s about as good as it gets at Boneyards. Absolutely pristine conditions for those who know the lineup.
Later on, Friday September 25th afternoon brings a 8 ft SSW swell, but it’s a shorter 10-second period. The wind is light cross-off, and energy is 1606 – decent, but not as clean as that glassy Sunday morning.
Then on Sunday the 27th, we get another big one: 8 ft SW swell with a 16-second period and energy hitting 3515. The wind is a moderate cross-off, so it’ll be clean. That’s a proper swell for the experts, but with that long period, it’ll be marching through the lineup. For those who can handle it, it’s a date.
Overall, Boneyards is inconsistent, so these windows are special. The absolute standout is Sunday September 20th morning – glassy, clean, fun-sized swell. If you can only pick one session, that’s it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ESE on Sat afternoon, light winds from the SE by Sun afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Tue night, strong winds from the SE by Thu morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | NW 7 | NW 7 | SW 14 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2038 | 3525 | 2633 | 1665 | 1119 | 732 | 473 | 556 | 386 | 387 | 1829 | 3820 | 1837 | 1319 | 854 | 840 | 652 | 992 | 886 | 2063 | 2557 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:58PM1.68m | 4:16AM1.51m | 4:29PM1.62m | 4:47AM1.44m | 4:59PM1.53m | 5:18AM1.35m | 5:29PM1.40m | 5:49AM1.24m | 5:59PM1.27m | 6:22AM1.13m | 6:35PM1.13m | 7:07AM1.01m | 7:27PM1.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:48AM0.03m | 10:15PM0.01m | 10:19AM0.08m | 10:45PM0.08m | 10:49AM0.16m | 11:15PM0.17m | 11:18AM0.26m | 11:44PM0.28m | 11:47AM0.38m | 00:14AM0.41m | 12:19PM0.50m | 00:52AM0.53m | 1:01PM0.63m | 2:01AM0.64m | |||||||
6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | |
— | 6:35 | — | — | 6:36 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:38 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | 23 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 |
2038 | 3525 | 2633 | 1665 | 1119 | 732 | 473 | 349 | 241 | 387 | 1829 | 3820 | 1837 | 1319 | 854 | 840 | 652 | 992 | 734 | 2063 | 2557 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 13 | SW 18 | WSW 8 | SW 15 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 11 | SW 14 | ESE 8 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 251 | 104 | 31 | 26 | 314 | 207 | 648 | 878 | 728 | 461 | 144 | 104 | 21 | 886 | 12 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 13 | SW 17 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | NNW 7 | NW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 46 | 16 | 7 | 38 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | NNW 4 | NNW 6 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 7 | — | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 6 | SE 5 | SSE 5 | SE 5 |
778 | 903 | 674 | 470 | 530 | 13 | 215 | 556 | 386 | 328 | 279 | — | 98 | 239 | 386 | 363 | 451 | 247 | 119 | 92 | 73 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 25 | 161 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 84 | 410 | 76 | 235 | 235 | 0 | 47 | 48 | 25 | 32 | 25 | 25 | 329 | 429 | 6 |
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.










