East Pier (Port Alfred) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here, checking in on the surf for our stretch of coast around East Pier (Port Alfred). Let’s cut through it and get you on the right wave.

The long-range picture is a bit of a rollercoaster. We’ve got some small, junk surf on the immediate horizon, then a solid pulse of good, clean swell building into the middle of next week. That’s your main event. After that, it gets big and unruly—too big for most, and then we’re looking at a drop-off into windblown slop. There are a couple of smaller windows tucked in there, but they’re marginal.

Right now, this Friday morning is pretty poor. We’ve got a weak 3ft SSW swell with a long 16-second period, but the NE cross-breeze is putting a slight chop on it. The water is a bitterly cold 59°, which is a massive 8° colder than average for this time of year—that’s not just a little cool, that’s a full-on winter wetsuit, booties, hood, the works. The energy is weak at (438), so it’s not really doing much. Skip the morning.

The weekend is small and messy. Saturday has a drop in swell to 2ft and the wind is going light, but it’s still not clean. The best of this flat spell looks like Sunday afternoon when the wind dies completely to glass. There’s a 3ft SW groundswell pushing in, and it’s glassy. The period has dropped to 12 seconds, but the energy is weak (246). It’ll be small, but it might be the only surfable window for a few days. It’s not going to be epic, but it beats nothing.

Now, let’s talk about the real deal. Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning is when it’s on. Monday sees a bump in size to 4ft in the morning, but it’s Tuesday and Wednesday that are the standouts. Monday afternoon brings 5ft of SW swell with a 13-second period, clean with a cross-off breeze. Tuesday has the same clean conditions, with 5ft of swell—the energy is ramping up well (765). But it’s Wednesday morning that gets my vote for the pick of the entire run. We’ve got a 7ft SSW swell, 13-second period, and light SW cross-off winds. The energy is strong at (1277) and it’s expected to be excellent for experienced surfers. This is the day to clear your schedule. The period is right in that sweet spot—not too long to make it sectiony, but enough to give it some push. Crowds are a possibility here, but with this quality, it might be worth sharing.

After Wednesday afternoon, the swell holds but the quality drops off quickly. Thursday gets choppy with a NE cross-on, and then Friday swings back to clean but the swell eases. By Saturday the 22nd, it’s all over. The swell is predicted to jump up to 13ft in the morning and 15ft in the afternoon, with a 15-second period. The energy readings are off the charts (10050). This is way too big for East Pier, and it’s only for the top-tier charger. Honestly, for the average surfer, that’s a beach day or a time to find a sheltered corner. The entire weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is blown out by this massive swell, and the winds go onshore, making it poor.

The following week is more of a come-down. The swell drops back from 10ft early on the 24th to a still-chunky 8ft by Tuesday the 25th. Winds are cross-off, so it’s clean, but it’s still big and powerful. There is a last little pulse on Thursday the 27th morning—a 6ft SSW swell with a 13-second period and gentle N cross-off winds. The energy is strong (1332) and it’s called excellent for experienced surfers. If you missed Wednesday, this is your second chance, but it’s a long way out and less certain. After that, the run fades out into small, bumpy leftovers.

So, bottom line: ride the small stuff on Sunday afternoon if you’re keen, but the real window is Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning next week. Get after it while it’s there.

Rusty.

Read more