Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 5,389 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m 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 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got one main player on the radar for the next couple of weeks: Boneyards. This is an advanced reef set-up that doesn't mess around, and it needs the right conditions to really fire. The forecast is a bit of a rollercoaster, so we’ll need to pick our moments.
The big news is a serious pulse of SW groundswell on the horizon. The whole run starts up on Wednesday, 19th August, with a solid 10 ft SW swell pushing in at a long 13 seconds. The combined energy is cranking at 2580 (moderate). It’s big, it’s powerful, and with a light cross-off breeze, it’ll be clean. But at 10 ft, this is strictly for the experienced crew. Wednesday afternoon sees the wind pick up and the quality drops, so make the most of the morning.
The real standout, the one you’re going to want to circle, is Thursday, 20th August. The swell builds to a whopping 13 ft from the SW with a period of 14 seconds. The energy reading hits 5492 (strong). That’s serious groundswell. That long period at a reef break like Boneyards (looks like this spot could handle it) is a recipe for some grinding, critical barrels, but only if you’ve got the nerve and the skill. The morning session with a gentle WSW breeze and clean conditions is the pick of the entire forecast. This is top-tier, big-wave territory. After lunch, it gets a bit choppy, so the early bird gets the worm.
Friday, 21st August, drops off quickly. Onshore winds and oncoming swell make a mess of things. Saturday, 22nd, is a write-off for surfing—that strong WSW breeze whipping across big, messy 12 ft swell makes it look more like a kite-surfing zone than anything else.
We get a nice reset on Sunday, 23rd August. The swell is still a beefy 12 ft from the SW, but the wind goes light and offshore again in the morning. The energy is still strong at 3517 (moderate). It’ll be powerful and clean, but again, that’s advanced-only territory with the size and long-period on offer.
The rest of that week into the end of August is a mixed bag of smaller swells and onshore winds, with some clean windows but nothing that compares to that Thursday blast. There are a few clean periods around the 26th and 27th with smaller swell, but the quality is never quite there.
Then, we’ve got a long wait. After the 29th August, things get weird. Saturday the 29th afternoon sees another massive pulse—a 13 ft SW swell at 15 seconds with a staggering 7215 combined energy (very strong). But it’s blowing a fresh 18 mph offshore, making it a risky, bumpy beast. That potential is locked behind a wall of wind.
Things get bleak through the end of August and into 1st September with strong winds and rain. You’re looking at a 3–4 day gap with nothing worthwhile.
Now, here’s the one to really keep an eye on. Look ahead to Thursday, 3rd September. The finder is screaming about this one. A monster 18 ft SW swell, 14 second period, with glassy conditions. The combined energy is 12273 (very strong). That’s “exceptional” territory for experts. It’s almost two weeks out, so take it with a pinch of salt, but if that forecast holds, Boneyards is going to be one of those days you tell stories about. The water temp is likely about average for the time of year here, so not a factor.
So to keep it simple: your best bets are Thursday, 20th August morning for the best quality big waves, and the long-range promise of Thursday, 3rd September if you’re feeling patient and brave. Everything else is either too onshore, too small, or too gnarly.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2536 | 2148 | 1470 | 5389 | 4596 | 2630 | 1638 | 1234 | 698 | 771 | 795 | 2067 | 3471 | 3701 | 1909 | 1374 | 806 | 1830 | 1852 | 1713 | 1927 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | on | on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross | cross | off | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:31PM1.24m | 7:46AM1.06m | 8:17PM1.09m | 9:08AM0.94m | 10:35PM1.00m | 12:36PM0.96m | 00:52AM1.07m | 1:40PM1.10m | 1:44AM1.20m | 2:15PM1.24m | 2:18AM1.33m | 2:43PM1.39m | 2:47AM1.44m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:09PM0.48m | 1:49AM0.58m | 1:47PM0.62m | 2:53AM0.70m | 3:08PM0.75m | 5:54AM0.72m | 6:33PM0.74m | 7:28AM0.60m | 7:41PM0.62m | 8:04AM0.46m | 8:16PM0.49m | 8:32AM0.33m | 8:46PM0.36m | ||||||||
6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 16 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | E 8 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 |
2536 | 2148 | 1470 | 5389 | 4596 | 2630 | 1638 | 1234 | 698 | 771 | 795 | 5 | 3471 | 3701 | 1909 | 1374 | 603 | 1830 | 1852 | 1713 | 999 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | — | WSW 11 | E 7 | E 8 | — | — | WSW 13 | WSW 11 | SSW 16 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | E 10 | S 20 | SSW 17 |
44 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 13 | 6 | 6 | — | 329 | 23 | 20 | — | — | 787 | 571 | 688 | 491 | 256 | 2 | 302 | 1927 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | E 10 | — | E 9 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 803 | 806 | 2 | — | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 4 | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | E 4 | — | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 |
— | 13 | 230 | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | 554 | 819 | 2067 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 181 | 0 | 143 | 141 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 198 | 141 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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.
Boneyards is 19 km (12 miles) from the city of Kruisfontein. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Kruisfontein. Kruisfontein has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











