
Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 10,063 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Boneyards in the next 16 days are 4.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s get into it. The only break on the cards for this whole stretch is Boneyards, and it’s a reef setup that’s inconsistent and takes a bit of reading. It’s exposed to the swell but the direction needs to be a decent W or SW to really light it up. The wind is the big talker here, because when it’s right, it’s magic.
The first real action fires up on the afternoon of Tuesday the 21st. We’ve got a solid 10ft SW swell pushing in with a 13-second period, and the water is sitting at 60°, which is about normal for this time of year. The wind is light from the south, cross-off, and it’s clean. The combined wave energy is a thumping 2816, so there’s plenty of grunt. This is excellent surf, but at 10ft, it’s expert territory. Boneyards can handle it, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Wednesday the 22nd takes a step back. The swell drops to 7ft, but the wind swings NW and turns cross-on, making it a bit choppy and messy. Not one to get excited about. Thursday the 23rd morning is a write-off with strong northerly winds, but then Thursday afternoon? That’s a standout. The wind goes glassy, the swell bumps up to 8ft from the SW, and the energy jumps to 3251. That’s a clean, glassy window for the experienced crew.
Friday the 24th is the big one. Morning sees a 12ft SW swell with a 14-second period, cross-off wind from the east, and exceptional energy at 5161. This is a solid, powerful groundswell. For experts, it’s a true highlight. The afternoon still holds 12ft but the wind picks up a touch, so the morning is the pick.
The weekend of the 25th and 26th offers cleaner, smaller conditions. Saturday morning has 7ft SW with a gentle offshore ESE breeze – clean and fun for intermediates. Sunday morning is similar with 7ft SW and cross-off wind. Both are solid sessions.
Now, look ahead. The 28th of July, Tuesday morning, is another standout. A 12ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period, gentle offshore wind, and energy at 5135. That’s a big, raw groundswell. It’s exceptional but only for experts. The 31st of July, Friday morning, is also a cracker: 10ft from the SSW, 16-second period, and a massive 5686 energy reading. Cross-off wind keeps it clean. That’s a serious session for the hardcore crew.
Into the first week of August, things drop off. The 4th of August, Tuesday afternoon, shows a late burst of 10ft from the WSW, 14 seconds, with a gentle offshore. That’s worth watching, but it’s a long way out. The 5th of August has size but the wind is onshore from the NNW, so it’s messy.
Overall, Boneyards is a reef that demands respect. The real standouts are the afternoon of the 21st, the glassy Thursday afternoon of the 23rd, the Friday morning of the 24th, and the big Tuesday morning of the 28th. If you’re an expert, those are your windows. For everyone else, the weekend mornings of the 25th and 26th are your best bet. It’s a spot that rarely breaks perfectly, so when it does, you get in.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, strong winds from the N by Thu morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 13°C on Fri afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Sun morning, strong winds from the SE by Mon morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
2802 | 1908 | 1404 | 1298 | 993 | 1109 | 1914 | 9227 | 5161 | 4250 | 2542 | 1245 | 1693 | 1255 | 1073 | 1025 | 1429 | 880 | 1572 | 2422 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 8:36PM1.19m | 9:20AM1.00m | 9:43PM1.11m | 10:47AM0.97m | 11:05PM1.08m | 12:11PM1.01m | 00:19AM1.11m | 1:10PM1.09m | 1:14AM1.17m | 1:54PM1.18m | 1:57AM1.25m | 2:30PM1.27m | 2:33AM1.32m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:08PM0.51m | 3:14AM0.51m | 3:12PM0.60m | 4:33AM0.55m | 4:46PM0.64m | 5:57AM0.53m | 6:15PM0.61m | 6:59AM0.47m | 7:15PM0.54m | 7:44AM0.39m | 7:59PM0.46m | 8:20AM0.31m | 8:36PM0.38m | |||||||
— | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 15 |
2802 | 1908 | 1404 | 1298 | 993 | 1109 | 1914 | 9227 | 5161 | 4250 | 2542 | 1245 | 1693 | 1255 | 1073 | 1025 | 1429 | 880 | 1572 | 2422 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 19 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SSW 13 | SE 11 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 17 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | WSW 12 |
32 | 30 | 72 | 204 | 308 | 196 | 1337 | 56 | 35 | 5 | 5 | 892 | 5 | 103 | 146 | 217 | 190 | 816 | 404 | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | — | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | — | — | — | — | SE 11 | — | SE 11 | SE 10 | S 11 | — | — | WSW 12 | — |
14 | — | 12 | 12 | 18 | 17 | 15 | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 4 | 4 | 21 | — | — | 83 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | — | — | — | — | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 6 | SSE 7 | S 8 |
— | — | — | 10 | 23 | 75 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 17 | 29 | 24 | 5 | 20 | 117 | 200 | 474 | 1208 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 25 | 13 | 2 |
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.










