Eerste Steen Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here.

Let’s have a look at what’s cooking over the next couple of weeks. The early window is looking like a bit of a slow burner, but there’s some serious grunt building for the end of the first week and into the second. We’ve got a solid window of clean waves on Wednesday morning to kick things off, and then a quieter spell before the ocean turns on.

Wednesday 26th August

We’re starting off at Eerste Steen with a nice little Wednesday morning session. The water’s a bit cooler than usual for this time of year, sitting at 57°, but that’s a small price to pay. We’ve got a clean 4ft swell rolling in from the WSW with a 13-second period, giving it some proper push. The wind is a light ESE cross-offshore at 9 mph, so the faces will be clean. The combined energy is solid at 858. It’s not a monster, but it’s a very fun, user-friendly size. This is the pick of the early days.

After that, Wednesday afternoon the wind swings southerly and drops, but the surf gets a bit wonky and the tide looks questionable, so that morning window is your window.

Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th

Thursday and Friday get a bit messy. The wind sits onshore or cross-onshore for most of it, and the swell mixes up. However, Friday morning (28th) is worth a mention. We get a glassy morning with the wind dropping right off. The swell drops to a tiny 3ft, but it’s coming from the WSW with a very long 16-second period. That’s a proper groundswell pulse. At that size, it’s going to be clean and fun on a longboard, but don't expect much power. The combined energy is weak at 644, so it’s a mellow one.

Saturday and Sunday see the wind pick up again and the sizes grow. Sunday 30th the swell jumps to 7ft from the WSW, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-shore, making it lumpy and choppy. It’s a bit of a write-off for a good paddle session unless you’ve got a kite.

Monday 31st August to Tuesday 1st September

Monday brings a drop in wind but the surf is inconsistent and the quality is poor. The real story is Tuesday 1st September. The swell explodes. We’re looking at a massive 10ft to 13ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period. The combined energy is off the charts at 3126, then 5763. This is expert-only territory. The wind is onshore for the afternoon, though, with rain showers, so it’s going to be a beast. If you’re a seasoned charger, this is the one to have your eye on, but it’s way too big for the average surfer. It’s a genuine standout for the hardcore crew.

Wednesday 2nd to Friday 4th September

Wednesday stays big and choppy. Thursday morning (3rd) sees the swell drop to a more manageable 6ft with a clean cross-offshore wind from the SE, but it’s blowing a fresh 19 mph. Then Thursday afternoon turns into a complete mess with a gale warning and a short-period swell from the SSE. Avoid it.

Friday 4th September is another massive day. 13ft from the SSE with a 10-second period. The combined energy is over 3000. The morning is windy and lumpy, but the afternoon gets interesting with a gentle offshore breeze from the east at 9 mph. Clean conditions on an absolute mountain of water. Again, this is purely for experts.

Saturday 5th to Sunday 6th September

This is the peak of the swell window. Saturday 5th brings a colossal 20ft S swell with a 12-second period. Combined energy is 9167 – that’s a proper ocean event. The wind is a fresh cross-shore, it’s going to be dangerous and huge. Sunday 6th is only slightly smaller at 13ft to 10ft, still way too big for most. These days are a spectacle, not a paddle session.

Monday 7th September

After that monster swell, we get a nice reset. Monday morning is a beauty. The ocean calms down to a clean 5ft S swell with a 9-second period. The wind is glassy, dead calm. Combined energy is a manageable 925. This is the best wave of the entire run for the average surfer. Clean, punchy, and the crowds might be reasonable. It’s a second standout day after the chaos.

Tuesday 8th to Thursday 10th September

The final few days see the swell fizzle out. It drops below 3ft with short periods and poor winds. The energy drops below 200. It’s flat and messy. The run of good surf is over after that Monday.

So, for the forecast period: Wednesday morning 26th August is the best early call, and Monday morning 7th September is the standout recovery session after the big swell. For the experts, Tuesday 1st September and Friday 4th September are your heavy days.

Stay safe out there.

- Rusty

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