Surf Forecasts:
Cave Rock surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 2,356 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cave Rock this week:
The surf forecast for Cave Rock over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cave Rock in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cave Rock over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I'm looking at the only game in town for the next couple of weeks: Cave Rock.
Right off the bat, the outlook is a bit of a grind. The first few days are small and messy. Wednesday the 2nd has a tiny 2ft SSW groundswell (134 combined energy) but it's cross-on and choppy – not worth paddling out for. That pattern of small, poor surf with cross-shore or cross-onshore wind drags on through the end of the week. Thursday the 3rd has cleaner conditions with a cross-offshore NNE breeze, but the swell is only 2ft. It's frustrating because you can see the potential with those long-period pulses, but the wind is just ruining it.
Then things get rowdy but ugly. On Friday the 4th, a solid 8ft S swell arrives, but it's a short-period 7-second wind swell, and we're getting hammered by 25 mph cross-onshore winds. The water's a mess (combined energy of 2356), and that's expert-only, survival stuff. Saturday the 5th drops to 8ft but the wind is still cross-on, making it lumpy. The setup here is a reef, so with that much swell and poor wind, it's just a washing machine.
For a real standout, you have to look way ahead to Tuesday the 15th of September. The morning brings a clean 6ft S groundswell with a very long 17-second period and light offshore ESE wind. The combined energy is a powerful 2049. That's a proper groundswell hitting an exposed reef with clean conditions. This is the window. That long-period, big S swell will wrap in nicely. It's a highly rated break for advanced surfers, and the quality on that morning should be top-notch. Just be aware, with that kind of period, the sets will be widely spaced.
The week before that is a write-off. Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th have some knee-to-waist high swell but the conditions are average. For the rest of the 16-day run, we're back to small, weak, or windy. If you're a kiter, the strong, cross-onshore days in early September (like the 4th) would be more your scene.
So, to sum it up: it's a long wait. The one true standout is the morning of Tuesday the 15th. That's your shot. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too messy. Keep an eye on the forecasts, though; things can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 26mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Warm (max 33°C on Thu morning, min 17°C on Fri afternoon). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, near gales from the SSW by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 17°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Sat morning, strong winds from the NE by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | S 12 | SSW 7 | S 7 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | S 22 | S 18 | S 16 | S 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 165 | 125 | 337 | 416 | 145 | 75 | 261 | 570 | 2356 | 1461 | 883 | 537 | 325 | 339 | 160 | 589 | 1952 | 964 | 405 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:14AM1.78m | 6:36PM1.81m | 6:50AM1.63m | 7:14PM1.63m | 7:38AM1.45m | 8:11PM1.44m | 9:12AM1.29m | 10:28PM1.30m | 12:19PM1.33m | 00:53AM1.40m | 1:37PM1.54m | 1:54AM1.59m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:13AM0.35m | 12:20PM0.36m | 00:47AM0.49m | 12:57PM0.54m | 1:31AM0.65m | 1:46PM0.74m | 2:44AM0.82m | 3:39PM0.92m | 5:32AM0.86m | 6:39PM0.85m | 7:14AM0.69m | 7:49PM0.65m | |||||||
 |  | | | | |  |  |  |  |  | |  |  | | |  | | | |
 | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — |
 | 5:39 | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 12 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 33 | 31 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 22 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 28 | 26 | 15 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | SSW 16 | ENE 8 | S 12 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | S 22 | S 18 | S 16 | S 14 |
| kJ | 165 | 137 | 112 | 416 | 267 | 75 | 315 | 80 | 48 | 1461 | 883 | 537 | 255 | 241 | 160 | 589 | 1952 | 964 | 405 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | E 8 | SSW 14 | — | — | E 10 | NE 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 8 | E 10 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | S 10 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 38 | 125 | 337 | 69 | 145 | — | — | 70 | 9 | 50 | 66 | 92 | 325 | 114 | 95 | 73 | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | NE 7 | S 5 | NE 7 | — | — | — | S 16 | — | S 17 | S 15 | E 10 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SE 7 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 4 | 55 | 16 | 12 | — | — | — | 5 | — | 23 | 110 | 73 | 71 | 146 | 106 | 27 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 4 | — | NE 7 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | SSW 7 | S 7 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | E 9 | ENE 5 | ENE 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | — | 9 | — | 91 | 475 | 471 | 261 | 570 | 2356 | — | — | — | — | 339 | 44 | 238 | 285 | 726 | 568 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 163 | 9 | 11 | 209 | 320 | 1431 | 899 | 1237 | 789 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 222 | 687 | 731 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cave Rock Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cave Rock provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cave Rock can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cave Rock 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 (Cave Rock) 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 Cave Rock 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 Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Cave Rock, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, consider staying in Durban which is 6 km (4 miles) away. Other places in and around Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Glenwood which is 8 km (5 miles) away, Umlazi, Kwamashu and Umhlanga.
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