Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 11s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with 3,165 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 11s 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 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s walk through Boneyards for the next two weeks or so. This reef doesn’t fire all the time, so we gotta pick our moments.
Water temp is about 58°, which is a tad colder than usual – nothing wild, but a 4/3 is a good call.
We kick off Thursday, August 20th with a proper swell. Thursday morning is the best of the lot. You’re looking at a solid 12ft SW swell, period around 13 seconds, and the combined energy is huge at 3903 – that’s serious power. Wind is a clean cross-off from the SSE at 9 mph. This is for experienced surfers only; it’s big and punchy. Thursday afternoon is a bit smaller at 10ft, still solid.
Friday, August 21st morning is another good one. Swell drops to 7ft from the SW, but the wind goes pure offshore from the SE at 16 mph. Energy is 947, and the waves will be clean and steep.
The weekend gets mixed. Saturday, August 22nd has cross-on winds and a mix of small, average swell. Sunday, August 23rd morning brings back 7ft from the WSW with a longer 13-second period and cross-off wind – energy at 1908. That’s a decent session. Monday, August 24th is still surfable but wind picks up to 19 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday, August 25th is another sweet spot. Morning has 8ft SW swell with a long 14-second period and fresh offshore SE wind at 19 mph. Combined energy is 2373 – that’s a solid, powerful groundswell. The waves will be clean and lined up. Tuesday afternoon is similar but a touch smaller.
Wednesday, August 26th is light cross-on wind from the NNW, swell down to 5ft. Okay but nothing special.
Thursday, August 27th morning is calm with light offshore SE wind but only 4ft of swell. The afternoon stretches out with a 15-second period, which will wrap nicely into the reef even at 4ft.
Friday, August 28th has a solid 8ft WSW swell with that long 15-second period, energy at 2930. But the cross-on wind from the NNW will rough it up a bit. Still, for strong paddlers, there are big walls. Saturday, August 29th is similar size with cleaner cross-off wind.
Things fade from Sunday, August 30th. By Monday, August 31st, it’s under 2ft and looking poor.
Then a big spike shows up for Tuesday, September 1st: a huge 10ft to 12ft SW groundswell, 15-second period, energy over 5000. But the cross-on wind from the NNW at 9 mph will make it lumpy. Experts only. Wednesday, September 2nd is blown out with near gale winds.
The very last day, Friday, September 4th, has a tiny 4ft WSW swell with glassy conditions – calm and clean, but it’s a long way off.
The top pick is Thursday, August 20th morning. Big, clean, powerful. Second is Tuesday, August 25th morning with the strong offshore wind. The big September 1st swell is promising but risky with the wind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SE on Mon night, light winds from the ESE by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
3903 | 2536 | 1513 | 947 | 458 | 392 | 543 | 882 | 1313 | 1465 | 1236 | 1299 | 907 | 430 | 2278 | 2141 | 1567 | 1093 | 575 | 477 | 374 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-on | cross | off |
High Tide | 8:04AM0.99m | 8:30PM1.04m | 9:46AM0.92m | 10:24PM0.98m | 11:55AM0.96m | 00:06AM1.03m | 12:59PM1.06m | 1:02AM1.13m | 1:37PM1.18m | 1:41AM1.24m | 2:08PM1.31m | 2:13AM1.33m | 2:37PM1.42m | 2:44AM1.41m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:55PM0.63m | 3:17AM0.62m | 3:49PM0.70m | 5:32AM0.61m | 6:07PM0.66m | 6:46AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:27AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | 7:59AM0.31m | 8:17PM0.34m | 8:27AM0.21m | 8:46PM0.25m | ||||||||
7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | |
— | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 19 |
Feels °C | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 |
3903 | 2536 | 1513 | 947 | 458 | 392 | 543 | 882 | 1313 | 1465 | 1236 | 1299 | 907 | 430 | 2278 | 2141 | 1567 | 1093 | 575 | 477 | 374 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | — | — | SW 10 | W 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 10 |
— | — | — | — | 310 | 291 | 198 | 27 | 577 | 443 | 313 | — | — | 253 | 119 | 232 | 393 | 317 | 436 | 366 | 125 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 14 | — | — | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | — | — | — | SSW 13 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SW 11 |
— | — | — | — | — | 81 | — | — | 47 | — | — | — | — | 203 | — | — | — | 414 | 42 | 36 | 92 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 5 | — | NW 2 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | — | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | — | — | SE 3 |
— | — | 24 | 71 | 49 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 42 | 171 | 239 | 263 | 164 | — | — | 5 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 80 | 25 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
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.











