East Pier (Port Alfred) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks.

We’re kickin’ things off with a bit of a flat start, no action until Sunday the 5th. East Pier (Port Alfred) is the only spot worth talkin’ about, and it’s an inconsistent little beast, so when it does come alive, you gotta pay attention. Right now, the water is sitting at a very chilly 62°, which is a massive 6° colder than it should be for this time of year – that’s a real shock to the system, so bring the thick rubber.

Sunday the 5th afternoon is just a warm-up. We’ve got a 1.4m swell out of the SE, but the wind is a light cross-onshore from the NE, making things a bit bumpy and marginal. Not your best session.

Monday the 6th morning, though, that’s the window. A clean 0.9m swell from the SE with a light offshore W breeze at 3 mph. Glassy conditions expected, and the energy is moderate (320). It’s small, but for a spot that’s often quiet, a clean, little wave like that is a true gem. Monday afternoon turns a bit messy again with a cross-onshore.

Tuesday the 7th afternoon is worth a mention. Swell picks up to 1.5m from the SW, period a nice 12 seconds, with a moderate 9 mph cross-offshore breeze from the SW. The energy is moderate-strong (704), and it’s shaping up to be very good out there for an intermediate surfer.

Now, things get serious from Thursday the 9th through Saturday the 12th, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. Swell sizes jump well past 2.5m, hitting 3.0m to 3.5m with strong energy readings (over 4000). This is expert-level territory – too big for most, and the break won’t handle it well. Thursday morning’s 3.0m SW swell with 16 mph WSW cross-off winds looks clean but overwhelming. Friday the 10th morning is especially gnarly: 3.5m SSW, 14-second period, and glassy conditions – a beautiful, dangerous beast for the very experienced only.

Sunday the 12th morning brings it back down to a more manageable 1.8m from the SSW, with clean cross-off winds and light airs. The energy is still strong (1206), and conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s a solid, fun day.

The standout in this entire forecast, the real highlight, is Sunday the 19th morning. The swell is a punchy 2.2m from the SSW at 12 seconds, with zero wind – glassy as a mirror. The wave energy is strong (1412), and conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the one to circle on your calendar. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but if it holds, East Pier will be lighting up with clean, powerful lines.

The rest of the second week is a bit of a mixed bag. The 18th has a longer 16-second period groundswell from the S at 1.7m, which is clean but might be a bit too straight for the beach setup here. The 20th Monday drops right off into small, choppy rubbish, so don’t bother.

Overall, it’s a typical patchy run for this quiet break. There’s a few nice windows, especially the 6th morning for the small-wave crew, and that 19th morning is the one that could be absolute magic.

- Rusty

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