Surf Forecasts:
Fish Hoek surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,180 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fish Hoek this week:
The surf forecast for Fish Hoek over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 12s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Fish Hoek in the next 16 days are 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fish Hoek over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, this is Rusty. Let’s talk about what’s lining up at Fish Hoek. The start is a bit rough, but there are a couple of days that will make you forget about the junk.
The water’s sitting at 57°F, which is a bit chillier than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want the thick rubber.
Tuesday 18th August starts with a 6ft SW swell, but that SSE wind is cross-onshore, making it choppy. The afternoon actually gets worse with a 7ft swell and stronger cross-onshore wind. The combined wave energy is high (1525 in the morning, 1279 in the afternoon), but it’s all messy. Save your energy for later.
Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th are more of the same. We’ve got 6ft to 7ft SW swells, but it’s cross-onshore or cross-shore with wind ripples. The energy is there, but the quality isn’t.
Friday 21st drops off, 5ft in the morning down to 3ft in the afternoon, but still only marginal. Not worth the drive.
Now, Saturday 22nd August is where we see a real turn. The morning brings a 7ft SW swell with a moderate offshore wind from the west. That’s clean. The combined energy is strong at 773. Then the afternoon... wow. The swell bumps up to a solid 10ft from the southwest with a 13-second period, and the wind turns cross-offshore. This is clean, powerful, and the energy jumps to a massive 2698. This is the standout for the first week. That size is for experienced surfers only, but if you’ve got the nerve, this is the session.
Sunday 23rd comes down a notch. The morning has a 7ft SW swell and very light cross-onshore winds. The afternoon fades to 5ft.
Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th are a write-off. The swell is weak or the wind is howling cross-onshore.
After a quiet spell, Wednesday 26th morning is a nice little surprise. A 4ft SW swell with a light offshore wind from the west. Clean conditions. The afternoon holds that clean feel with a cross-offshore breeze.
Thursday 27th is small but clean, with 3ft to 3ft and light cross-offshore winds. It’s a log day.
Then Friday 28th gets ugly. A 7ft SW swell with a super long 17-second period rolls in, but it’s accompanied by a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore wind. The energy is huge (2659), but the surface is lumpy and messy.
Saturday 29th is a full-on blowout. Strong cross-onshore winds up to 25 mph makes the 6ft to 7ft swell a no-go for paddle surfing. This setup looks better for kite surfing.
For the second week, there’s a decent window. Sunday 30th August morning is an 8ft SW swell with onshore wind, but the afternoon turns glassy and clean. That 8ft swell with a 13-second period and zero wind is a serious contender. The energy is 1919. This is for the experienced crew.
Monday 31st and Tuesday 1st September are cleanish with offshore or glassy winds. Tuesday 1st morning looks glassy with a 5ft SW swell.
Wednesday 2nd September brings an 8ft SW swell with moderate onshore wind and rain. Messy and powerful.
Overall, the peak of the whole window is definitely Saturday 22nd August. That afternoon session is the one. The other good window is the Sunday 30th August afternoon for some clean, powerful waves.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 10 | SW 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
874 | 1279 | 1169 | 899 | 748 | 971 | 1634 | 1225 | 614 | 527 | 273 | 183 | 773 | 2698 | 2201 | 1169 | 589 | 638 | 260 | 192 | 488 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:47PM1.29m | 7:10AM1.10m | 7:27PM1.16m | 8:03AM0.99m | 8:29PM1.04m | 9:44AM0.92m | 10:23PM0.98m | 11:54AM0.96m | 00:06AM1.03m | 12:59PM1.06m | 1:02AM1.13m | 1:37PM1.18m | 1:41AM1.24m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:29PM0.38m | 1:07AM0.42m | 1:04PM0.50m | 1:53AM0.54m | 1:54PM0.62m | 3:16AM0.62m | 3:47PM0.71m | 5:32AM0.62m | 6:06PM0.66m | 6:46AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:28AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | ||||||||
7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | |
— | 6:16 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 10 | SW 11 |
874 | 1279 | 1169 | 899 | 748 | 971 | 1634 | 1225 | 614 | 527 | 273 | 183 | 773 | 2698 | 2201 | 1169 | 589 | 638 | 260 | 192 | 488 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 11 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | WSW 12 | SSW 9 | WSW 11 | SW 16 |
649 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 172 | 101 | — | — | — | 408 | 279 | 125 | 153 | 170 | 264 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 14 | W 11 |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 73 | 88 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 3 | — | — | — | — | SSE 4 | SE 5 | ESE 5 | — | NW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 38 | 44 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 8 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 339 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 25 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Fish Hoek Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Fish Hoek provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fish Hoek can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fish Hoek 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 (Fish Hoek) 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 Fish Hoek 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 Cape Town? If you are looking for accommodation near Fish Hoek, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cape Town, consider staying in Cape Town which is 22 km (14 miles) away. Other places in and around Cape Town where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Bellville which is 31 km (19 miles) away, Robben Island, Stellenbosch and Kayamnandi.











