
Surf Forecasts:
Boneyards surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 8,860 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period with SSW 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 (Jul 24) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.5m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Boneyards in the next 16 days are 4.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Boneyards over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, mates, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.
First up, we’ve got a serious pulse of energy rolling in, but it’s not for the faint of heart. The ocean is fired up with a massive, powerful swell – we’re talking a combined energy of 8908 (strong to very strong). This is a big, long-period groundswell from the SSW that’s going to be pushing through. The water temp is sitting at 64°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so a good steamer is your friend.
The standout, and really the only real recommendation, is Boneyards (reef). This is an advanced-only spot, and for good reason. Friday morning, July 24, is the absolute pick. We’ve got a solid 15 ft swell from the SSW with a 16-second period, and the wind is a light offshore from the WNW at 6 mph. That’s a recipe for big, clean, powerful waves. The energy is immense, and with that long period, it’s going to be a proper freight train on the reef. This is for experts only – anyone else is going to have a bad time. The crowd situation is "sometimes," so with a beast like this, you might actually get a bit of space.
Friday afternoon sees the wind switch onshore from the ESE, dropping the quality to marginal. The swell eases to 12 ft, but the onshore breeze will mess it up. Not worth it.
Saturday morning, July 25, is glassy. The wind is dead calm. The swell has dropped to a still-chunky 8 ft from the SW, with a period of 14 seconds. The combined energy is still a very strong 2257. This is a different beast – cleaner, but still very powerful. It’s a good window for experienced surfers, but the afternoon gets trashed again by onshore ESE winds.
Sunday morning, July 26, is a cross-shore NNE breeze at 6 mph, which isn't ideal. The swell is 7 ft from the SW. A bit lumpy. The better bet is Sunday afternoon when the wind goes glassy from the E at 3 mph. That 7 ft SW swell will be clean and smooth, excellent for experienced surfers.
Monday, July 27, gets a fresh breeze from the W at 19 mph. It’s a cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but the wind is strong. The swell is 7 ft on the morning, then jumps to 10 ft in the afternoon with a massive 17-second period. That’s a very long period groundswell, and the combined energy rockets to 4661. It’s gonna be a tough paddle and a wall of water.
From Tuesday, July 28, through to Friday, August 1, things get messy. Onshore winds, rain, and choppy conditions dominate. The swell hangs around, but the quality is poor. It’s a write-off.
Then we get a little reprieve. Sunday morning, August 2, is glassy again – dead calm. A 7 ft, 8-second swell from the E. The energy is moderate (1216). It’s a beach break setup with that short period, but glassy winds make anything workable. Monday morning, August 3, is also glassy with a 7 ft SW swell, 15-second period. That’s a much better shape, but it’s a long period, so it might be a bit straight at the beach. The reef here will handle it fine.
The second week gets a bit more promising but less certain. August 5 sees a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WSW, with a 8 ft SW swell. Solid. August 6, Thursday morning, looks big again – 13 ft from the SW, but with a gentle cross-onshore breeze. That’s a massive wall of water, only for the very brave or the stupid.
The very end of the run, around August 8, brings another clean, cross-offshore window with a 10 ft SW swell, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph. It’ll be clean but wild.
Overall, the best on offer is definitely Friday morning, July 24, at Boneyards. That’s the big one. The next best window is the glassy morning on Sunday, August 2, or the Monday morning, August 3. If you’re an expert, the first Friday is the one. If you’re not, stay home.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri morning. Warm (max 24°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Mon afternoon, light winds from the NE by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | E 8 | E 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
8860 | 5416 | 3468 | 2094 | 2345 | 1978 | 1381 | 1088 | 699 | 1209 | 4579 | 6568 | 3552 | 3651 | 3803 | 2061 | 1127 | 711 | 617 | 698 | 828 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | on | off | glassy | on | cross | cross | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 12:39PM1.02m | 00:56AM1.15m | 1:44PM1.12m | 1:52AM1.24m | 2:27PM1.23m | 2:32AM1.34m | 3:02PM1.34m | 3:06AM1.43m | 3:33PM1.44m | 3:37AM1.50m | 4:02PM1.53m | 4:06AM1.55m | 4:31PM1.59m | 4:35AM1.57m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:31PM0.67m | 7:31AM0.55m | 7:41PM0.59m | 8:17AM0.45m | 8:26PM0.49m | 8:51AM0.34m | 9:02PM0.39m | 9:22AM0.24m | 9:34PM0.31m | 9:50AM0.16m | 10:04PM0.25m | 10:17AM0.10m | 10:34PM0.20m | ||||||||
7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | |
— | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 22 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | E 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 |
8860 | 5416 | 3468 | 2094 | 2345 | 1978 | 1381 | 1088 | 699 | 1209 | 4579 | 6568 | 3552 | 3651 | 3803 | 2061 | 1127 | 711 | 617 | 698 | 828 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | E 8 | ENE 8 | E 9 | SE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
48 | 47 | 96 | 163 | 170 | 114 | 481 | 417 | 479 | 590 | 33 | 23 | 14 | 320 | 37 | 41 | — | — | 501 | 486 | 604 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SE 10 | — | — | — | ESE 10 | E 4 | E 6 | E 8 | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 48 | — | — | — | 77 | 9 | 39 | 43 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | — | WSW 5 | — | — | SE 8 | — | — | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 | — | W 5 | WSW 6 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 23 | — | 62 | — | — | 505 | — | — | 191 | 534 | 708 | — | 75 | 223 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 143 | 66 | 198 | 181 | 181 | 59 | 29 | 173 | 141 | 141 | 181 | 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.










