Cabo Inhambane Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the outlook for Cabo Inhambane is a tough one. The data shows a long stretch of mostly poor surf conditions, with the first two weeks offering very little that’s worth paddling out for. The winds are blowing onshore or cross-onshore for the vast majority of the time, and the swell is small and weak. It’s a grim run, but hang in there – there’s a glimmer of something bigger late in the period.

We start with a blank run. From Wednesday, the 5th of August, right through until the 19th of August, there’s nothing but poor surf conditions. The wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, with combined energy readings that are weak, often in the double digits (like 106 on the 5th, dropping to 38 on the 7th). The swell direction is from the ESE, but the wind is a constant problem. The period is short, mostly 9 seconds or less, which means weak, crumbly waves. For a point break like Cabo Inhambane, which needs a good SE swell and clean wind, this is a write-off.

The only real standout, and I mean the only one, comes on the 12th of August. That Wednesday afternoon, the swell jumps up to 10 ft from the S with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 2170. That’s a serious, powerful groundswell. But here’s the catch – the wind is howling onshore from the ESE at 25 mph. The conditions are poor. This is a lot of water moving but it’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. It’s really only for the experts, and even then, it’s going to be a battle. The setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The following day, Thursday the 13th, is more of the same: 10 ft swell from the S, period 11 seconds, but still with fresh cross-onshore winds at 19 mph. The energy is still huge (2322), but the quality is poor.

By the morning of Thursday the 20th of August, things finally start to look a little more promising. The swell drops to 6 ft from the SSE with a period of 8 seconds, but the wind is finally light onshore from the ENE at 9 mph. The combined energy is 676, which is a moderate range. The conditions are still marginal, but it’s the first time in the outlook where the surf might be clean enough to ride. The swell direction is matching the optimum direction for the area (SE), so it's a good sign. This is the best bet for the whole 16-day window, but it's still a long way out, so keep your fingers crossed.

Water temp is sitting at 75°F, which is 1°F above normal. So, it’s a touch warmer than average for this time of year, but nothing wild.

Stay patient, team. The end of the forecast is looking a bit better.

Rusty.

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