Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 17s period, SSW swell with 12,876 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 12s 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.3m and 12s 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 4.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 12s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let's talk about what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a run of swell coming through, but it’s a mixed bag, so you’ll need to pick your moments. The first real standout is shaping up to be Tuesday afternoon, September 1st, at Boneyards. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. We’re looking at a solid 8ft swell from the SW, with a nice long 13-second period behind it. That’s real groundswell energy, and with a clean cross-off breeze, the waves should be holding up well. The energy is strong, clocking in at 2136. This is only for experienced surfers though, as the size is beyond what beginners should be tackling. Word of warning, crowds are possible here, so don't expect to have it to yourself.
Now, let’s step through it. The first session on offer is Sunday morning, August 30th. We’ve got 8ft of SW swell, but it’s a bit of a testy one. The wind is a cross-off, which is fine, but the water is feeling *much colder than normal* for this time of year, with a temperature of 59°. That anomaly of -4° is very unusual, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit. The overall energy is moderate at 1051, but the forecast is only marginal, so don't get your hopes up too high. Sunday afternoon drops a little to 7ft, still clean with a cross-off wind, but the energy drops to 908.
Monday morning, August 31st, brings a clean 6ft swell from the SW with a 12-second period, but the wind is directly cross-shore, making it a bit bumpy. The energy is strong at 1091, but the conditions are still marginal. Monday afternoon is a write-off with a tiny 2ft windswell.
Tuesday, September 1st, is where it gets interesting. The morning is similar to Monday, with 8ft of SW swell and a 12-second period, but the cross-shore wind keeps it from being perfect. The energy is very strong at 1463. Then, Tuesday afternoon, as I said, is the highlight: 8ft, 13-second period, SW swell, cross-off wind, and the energy is pumping at 2136. This is the best on offer early on.
Wednesday, September 2nd, the swell jumps up. The morning has 12ft of SW swell at 14 seconds, but the wind is a cross-on from the ENE, making it choppy. The energy is very strong at 4064, but it’s messy. The afternoon gets worse with a 19 mph onshore wind, making it a total mess. Thursday, September 3rd, has a strong cross-off wind, but it’s a fresh breeze at 22-25 mph, so while the swell is still there (8ft dropping to 6ft), it’s going to be a battle and barely worth it.
Friday, September 4th, is a blown-out mess with strong cross-onshore winds and rain. The swell is big (16ft in the morning), but it’s a total disaster for surfing. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Saturday, September 5th, the wind drops back to a cross-shore, but the swell is from the ESE with a short period of 9-10 seconds. We’ve got 7ft dropping to 6ft, but it’s a bit lumpy. It’s marginal.
Sunday, September 6th, brings a new SSW swell. The morning shows 10ft with a very long 16-second period, but the wind is onshore from the east. That long period makes it great for a reef like Boneyards, but the onshore wind kills it. The energy is huge at 4678. The afternoon is worse.
The rest of the first week and into the second week is mostly poor. Monday, September 7th, through Wednesday, September 9th, is all onshore winds and choppy conditions. There’s a window on Thursday, September 10th, with light winds, but the swell is small and weak.
Then, we get a glimmer. Monday morning, September 14th, is a long-range standout, but it’s less certain. The forecast is for a 12ft easterly swell with a 9-second period and *glassy* conditions, with zero wind. That’s a huge positive. The energy is very strong at 3222. This is another one for experienced surfers only due to the size. The afternoon looks clean too, with a cross-off wind. If that holds, it could be a very good day.
So, to sum it up: the best bets are Tuesday afternoon, September 1st, and keep an eye on Monday, September 14th. There are gaps of several days where the conditions are just poor, so don't waste your time.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Thu night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Thu afternoon, calm by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
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 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | E 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 19 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
834 | 1250 | 974 | 100 | 836 | 1488 | 1991 | 4369 | 4354 | 3112 | 2114 | 1575 | 2096 | 6733 | 2866 | 1816 | 911 | 535 | 345 | 9182 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | on | on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:57PM1.78m | 5:08AM1.61m | 5:26PM1.74m | 5:40AM1.54m | 5:58PM1.65m | 6:14AM1.43m | 6:35PM1.52m | 6:53AM1.29m | 7:20PM1.36m | 7:49AM1.14m | 8:32PM1.19m | 9:45AM1.02m | 10:56PM1.12m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:07PM0.06m | 11:11AM0.04m | 11:38PM0.10m | 11:41AM0.11m | 00:12AM0.19m | 12:15PM0.23m | 00:51AM0.32m | 12:56PM0.38m | 1:44AM0.48m | 1:55PM0.54m | 3:16AM0.61m | 4:00PM0.66m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 15 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | E 6 | WSW 12 | SSW 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 19 |
834 | 1250 | 974 | 807 | 836 | 1488 | 1991 | 4369 | 4354 | 3112 | 2114 | 1575 | 29 | 377 | 1306 | 1816 | 911 | 535 | 345 | 9182 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | — | E 5 | E 6 | ENE 8 | — | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | SW 11 | SSW 10 | SE 9 | E 8 |
370 | 47 | 106 | 100 | 70 | 65 | 48 | 29 | 27 | — | 20 | 43 | 24 | — | 204 | 471 | 496 | 345 | 221 | 68 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | S 7 | SSE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | — | — | ENE 10 | SW 11 | S 14 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 |
52 | 11 | 11 | 23 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 15 | — | — | 62 | 283 | 101 | 151 | 170 | 97 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 9 | ENE 5 | W 4 | SW 12 | S 11 | SE 11 | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | 37 | 10 | 2096 | 6733 | 2866 | — | — | — | — | 46 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 198 | 0 | 320 | 143 | 483 | 529 | 198 | 29 | 181 | 22 | 0 |
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.











