Eerste Steen Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got one spot on the radar and it’s a proper one, but it’s going to take some patience. The action really kicks off with a bang, but there are some big gaps to sit through.

The standout window is the first few days, starting Sunday morning, 16 August. That morning, Eerste Steen is looking like the pick of the entire run. The water is a chilly 55° right now, which is a massive 5° colder than usual for this time of year – so you’ll want a good thick wetsuit. That Sunday morning, we’ve got a clean, glassy-ish setup with a light N wind blowing cross-off, and a solid 6 ft swell from the WSW. The period is 14 seconds, so there’s real groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a hefty 1403. The waves will be well-shaped, and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers, which is exactly what we like to hear. The offshore wind will keep the faces clean, so it’s time to get on it early.

Monday morning, 17 August, is another strong shout. The swell builds to 8 ft from the WSW, still a 13-second period, and the wind is a light N cross-off again. The combined energy jumps to 2354, so there’s plenty of power. This is still excellent for the experienced crew, though it’s getting a bit meaty – beginners might find it a handful. The consistency is listed as fairly consistent, so you won’t be waiting forever between sets.

Now, after that, things get messy. From Monday afternoon through to the end of the second week, it’s a lot of marginal conditions. The wind turns cross-on or cross-shore, often with a chop, and the swell hangs around but the quality drops. There are gaps of a few days at a time where the surf is just not worth paddling out for. The 20th and 21st of August see 10 ft swell but with cross-onshore winds that make it choppy and messy. This is more of a kite-surfing kind of setup than a pure surfing one, especially with the beach-and-reef nature of the break.

Then, hold on, because the end of the run is a real tease. Monday morning, 24 August, looks promising again with a 6 ft swell from the SW, 14-second period, and a clean cross-off wind from the SE. The combined energy is 1859. That’s a nice, clean prospect, but it’s a long way out. And then, on Tuesday afternoon, 25 August, we get a massive 8 ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 20 seconds. The combined energy is a whopping 5400. That’s a lot of water moving, but with that kind of period, it’s going to break really straight at a beach break. It’s best for reefs and points, and the wind is a light cross-shore, so it’s not a total loss, but it’s an expert-only affair.

The real standout late in the game is Wednesday morning, 26 August. The wind is glassy – a light NNW at 3 mph – and the swell is 8 ft from the SW with a 15-second period. The combined energy is 3065. That’s about as clean as it gets, and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This one is a full-on standout, and it’s worth marking the calendar for, even if it’s a week and a half away. Just be aware that the long-range nature means there’s some uncertainty.

Beyond that, the 30th and 31st of August see the swell get too big – 12 ft – with onshore winds and rain. That’s a hard pass, even for the brave.

So, bottom line: Sunday morning, 16 August, and Monday morning, 17 August, are your best early bets. Then, if you can wait, 26 August is a real gem. Expect some long gaps in between where the surf is not worth the effort.

Rusty.

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