Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 23ft (7.0m), 11s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 23ft (7.0m), 11s period, SW swell with 12,084 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s period with WSW 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 Monday (Aug 31) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 11s 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 7.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 10s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 23ft (7.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 23ft (7.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long look at the charts for the only spot that’s got any pulse in this region: Boneyards. This is a reef setup, so it’s got that extra bite, and it’s inconsistent, meaning it takes a real good swell to wake it up. We’ve got a decent run of energy coming, but we’ve got to wade through a few quiet days first.
The immediate outlook is a bit of a slow burn. Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st see some SW swell creeping in at 7 ft to 8 ft, but the wind is a cross-off from the SSE at 9-19 mph. The wave energy is moderate on Monday morning (1045), but the swell period is a short 11 seconds, so it’s a bit on the weak side. Combine that with the fact the spot is inconsistent, it’s not going to be doing much. Sunday afternoon sees a combined energy of 1769, but again, it’s not a standout.
Now, Tuesday the 1st of September is where the charts start to get interesting. The morning is a bit messy with a cross-shore wind, but Tuesday afternoon is a true standout. The swell jumps to 12 ft from the SW, with a 13-second period, and the wind swings light S at 6 mph, making it a clean cross-off. The combined energy on that afternoon session is a solid 3677, which is a strong, powerful pulse. This is the best on offer for the first week – a proper groundswell hitting the reef with clean conditions. Experienced surfers only here, as 12 ft on a reef is serious business.
Wednesday the 2nd keeps the swell pumping at 10 ft from the SW, but the wind picks up to a moderate breeze from the SSE, keeping it manageable but not as good as Tuesday. The energy stays strong (3523 in the morning). Still a solid day, but that Tuesday afternoon is the one to circle.
Then we get to Thursday the 3rd of September. The morning brings a massive jump in swell to 21 ft from the SSW, with a combined energy of 12009. That is a huge, powerful, long-period groundswell (12 seconds). The wind is a cross-off from the NE at 19 mph. This is a major event, but honestly, it’s too big for Boneyards. The reef will be a close-out with that much juice. The afternoon sees it drop a bit but still at 18 ft with 31 mph wind – it’s a washout. This is a gale warning, not a surf session. Save your energy.
Friday the 4th through Monday the 7th of September is a write-off. The swell drops back to small, and the wind is blowing a gale from the SE at 25-31 mph. The energy is weak (under 1000), and the conditions are rated poor. There’s a gap of about four days with no real surf on offer.
We get a little flicker of hope on Sunday the 6th of September. The morning has a clean 5 ft SW swell with a nice 15-second period and a gentle offshore breeze from the ESE at 9 mph. The energy is 1014, which is moderate. That long period will make for some lined-up waves, but it’s a reef, so it’s a good setup. Experienced surfers might get a few, but it’s not a standout like the previous Tuesday.
The rest of the second week, from the 8th of September onward, is a slow fade. The swell drops to under 3 ft, and the energy is weak (100-300). The 9th of September has a glassy morning with a 1 ft, 15-second period swell, but that’s just a tiny, long-period ripple. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about. The 10th sees onshore wind, and by the 11th, the wind is back up to 25-31 mph. The 13th of September has a bit of pulse with 5 ft SSW swell and a strong offshore wind, but the wind is howling at 25 mph, making it a battle to paddle out.
Overall, the standout of this entire 16-day window is Tuesday afternoon, September 1st at Boneyards. 12 ft SW swell, 13-second period, light S wind, and a combined energy of 3677. It’s the best chance for a serious, clean session for experienced surfers. The inconsistent nature of the break and the fact that the swell is over 8 ft means the crowds at Boneyards are possible, but the size should keep it manageable. The water temperature is 58°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – a full 3° below average, so grab a thicker wetsuit.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sun afternoon, calm by Tue morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Wed night, near gales from the SSE by Thu afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 12 | SSW 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1769 | 1259 | 1045 | 1008 | 1651 | 2961 | 3905 | 4743 | 3717 | 2837 | 1945 | 10091 | 4668 | 368 | 506 | 218 | 202 | 160 | 487 | 3499 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:31PM1.63m | 4:48AM1.47m | 5:03PM1.59m | 5:22AM1.41m | 5:38PM1.52m | 6:01AM1.31m | 6:18PM1.41m | 6:48AM1.20m | 7:10PM1.28m | 7:55AM1.08m | 8:30PM1.15m | 9:46AM1.03m | 10:28PM1.12m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:45PM0.08m | 10:48AM0.11m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:21AM0.18m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:59AM0.28m | 00:39AM0.30m | 12:46PM0.40m | 1:38AM0.42m | 1:54PM0.53m | 3:14AM0.51m | 3:57PM0.59m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | |
6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
1769 | 1259 | 1045 | 1008 | 1651 | 2961 | 3905 | 4743 | 3717 | 2837 | 1945 | 1332 | 644 | 368 | 506 | 218 | 202 | 160 | 487 | 3499 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | — | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 11 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | — |
10 | 10 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 180 | 4 | 34 | 109 | 132 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | — | — | SW 19 | WSW 10 | — |
— | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | 14 | 111 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 7 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 |
— | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 10091 | 4668 | 2866 | 869 | 975 | 444 | 278 | 345 | 479 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 52 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 28 | 186 | 331 | 1062 | 162 | 411 | 32 | 25 | 162 | 40 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











