Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,803 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 13s 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 Saturday (Aug 29) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 10s. 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 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 8s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let's have a honest look at what the next stretch has in store for Boneyards. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so we’ll take it day by day. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so that's not a factor.
We kick things off with a solid, clean pulse on Saturday morning, August 29th. There's a 6ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 15-second period. The breeze is glassy and it's looking pretty special for the experienced crew, but this place is inconsistent, so you've got to be patient and pick the right set. The wave energy is strong, at 1145, and that long period will be doing its thing.
The weekend and early next week, though... it gets a bit messy. The swell stays in the 6ft to 11ft range, but the winds are all over the place. Saturday afternoon turns to chop, and Sunday's 8ft swell comes with a cross-off wind that just doesn't have the same magic. The energy is pumping hard at 2117, but the quality's not there for a standout session.
Monday is still there, but it's nothing to write home about. Then Tuesday and Wednesday see the swell push up to a solid 11ft, with that strong energy reading over 3600. But again, the winds are up and the conditions are just a bit off from being clean. Good for a look if you're keen, but I wouldn't be calling it the day of the week.
Now, the middle of the week gets blown out, plain and simple. We're looking at some serious wind from Thursday the 3rd through Friday the 4th, with gale-force offshore winds that make it nearly impossible to get out. The swell is dropping too, so this window is pretty much dead for a paddle.
We get a bit of a breather on Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th, with the swell dropping right off to that 3ft range. There's a little bit of clean surf around, but it's weak. The energy is back down in the low 200s, so it's barely worth pulling the wetsuit on for unless you're desperate for a splash.
The first part of the following week, from the 7th to the 9th, is looking pretty gutless as well—all small, sub-3ft swell with strong winds for a lot of it. The energy is just not there, and you'll be fighting the wind more than the waves.
Then, it looks like things might be waking up again around Thursday the 10th. That long-period swell starts to show up again, with a 17 to 18-second pulse and building energy, but the winds are still not on our side.
But the real standout in the whole forecast, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is that run starting on Friday, September 11th and going into Saturday the 12th. The swell jumps back up to 11ft with a strong WSW/SW direction and the energy readings go through the roof—4893 and then a massive 5529. There's a big, powerful groundswell on the way. The catch is, the wind will be howling offshore, near gale-force, which will make it incredibly hard to paddle into. This is strictly for the experts—this size and that wind is a proper challenge. You're not just dealing with heavy, thick waves; you're dealing with a battle just to get to the lineup. The crowd will be there for it, so be ready.
After that, it settles down a little for Sunday the 13th. Still a solid 8ft of SW swell, but the wind finally eases to a light offshore breeze. The energy is still strong at 1721, and the conditions are looking clean. This looks like a solid, albeit smaller, option after the big days before it.
So, there you have it. The surf's not a write-off, but you've got to pick your moments. The weekend of the 12th has all the size and power, but you need to be a bloody good surfer to make the most of it. The more manageable 8ft on the 13th with light offshore winds could well be the sweet spot for a clean, solid session.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Tue morning, near gales from the SE by Thu morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | WSW 15 | SW 10 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 8 | WSW 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
491 | 1145 | 768 | 1093 | 2117 | 1799 | 1207 | 1045 | 806 | 918 | 2843 | 3677 | 4803 | 3846 | 3201 | 1990 | 1173 | 1226 | 296 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 3:44AM1.50m | 4:01PM1.63m | 4:15AM1.50m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:44PM0.11m | 9:49AM0.06m | 10:14PM0.07m | 10:18AM0.07m | 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 | ||||||
— | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | |
6:24 | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 8 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 |
491 | 1145 | 756 | 511 | 2117 | 1799 | 1207 | 1045 | 806 | 918 | 2843 | 3677 | 4803 | 3846 | 3201 | 1990 | 1173 | 539 | 296 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | WSW 13 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | S 7 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 10 |
130 | 90 | 97 | 1093 | 22 | 10 | 47 | 5 | 4 | 424 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 61 | 125 | 220 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | ESE 8 | SSE 11 | — | E 13 | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 15 | SW 10 |
133 | 68 | 12 | 40 | — | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 87 | 208 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 10 | — | — | — | SE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 5 | SSE 5 | S 8 | SE 8 |
— | — | 768 | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 59 | 117 | 1226 | 1457 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 52 | 349 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 25 | 411 | 0 | 153 | 411 | 1470 |
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.











