Fish Hoek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Fish Hoek. The next couple of weeks are going to be a bit of a test of patience, if I’m being honest. The first good surf isn’t actually on the cards until late in the period, so we’ve got a long wait ahead. The overall pattern is dominated by onshore and cross-onshore winds and messy conditions, so the early days are a write-off.

Starting off, Monday the 14th sees some small 2ft SW swell, with a period of 12 seconds and a combined energy of 136. The wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-off from the NNW, so the water is clean, but the waves themselves are just too small and weak to bother with. The water temp is sitting at 57.7°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year.

Tuesday the 15th is more of the same, with a bit of a spike in energy later on. The afternoon sees the swell bump up to 3.3ft from the SW with a long 16-second period, and combined energy jumps to 493. But that strong 25 mph NNW cross-off wind, while offshore, is just too strong to make it enjoyable. Still, that’s a long-period groundswell, which would normally be promising, but the wind is the killer here.

Wednesday the 16th is where things start to get bigger, but not better. The morning brings 5.6ft from the SW at 9 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 1153 – that’s moderate to strong energy. But the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-on from the SE, so it’s lumpy and messy. By the afternoon, we’re looking at 6.2ft from the SSW at 13 seconds and 1355 energy, but again, strong 25 mph cross-onshore winds from the SSE make it a complete mess. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddling one.

The pattern continues through Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th. Swell sizes hover between 3.3ft and 5.2ft, with periods of 11 to 13 seconds, and energy values between 562 and 905. But the wind remains a strong onshore or cross-onshore from the SE at 25 to 28 mph, so the conditions are consistently poor. Saturday the 19th morning sees 5.9ft from the SE at just 7 seconds, with 662 energy – short period and onshore, so that’s a no-go. The afternoon improves slightly with 3.3ft from the SW at 14 seconds, but still messy.

Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st are similar stories: 3.6ft to 5.6ft swells, periods of 6 to 14 seconds, but always with that SE wind messing things up. The combined energy drops to between 272 and 643, so it’s not even that powerful. Tuesday the 22nd morning sees a brief moment of cleaner conditions with a light 6 mph onshore wind and 3ft from the SSW at 13 seconds, but the afternoon brings 7.2ft from the SSE at 7 seconds – that’s too big for beginners and short period, so only for experts, and it’s still choppy.

Wednesday the 23rd is more of the same: 5.9ft to 6.6ft from the SE at 7 seconds, strong cross-onshore winds, and messy. Thursday the 24th morning is still poor, but the afternoon finally gives us a glimmer of hope. It’s only a 1 out of 10, but the waves are described as marginal, with 3ft from the SSW at 13 seconds, combined energy of 392, and a light 6 mph cross-on wind. It’s small and not great, but it’s the first sign of something surfable.

Then, on Friday the 25th morning, we get the first real standout. The swell is 2.6ft from the SW at 11 seconds, with 191 combined energy. The wind is a light 6 mph offshore from the WNW, so the conditions are clean. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is actually the best we’ve seen. It’s small, but it’s clean, and for Fish Hoek, that’s a decent session for beginners. The afternoon goes back to poor, though.

After that, it’s back to poor conditions through Saturday the 26th, Sunday the 27th, and Monday the 28th. Then, on Tuesday the 29th, we get the best of the entire outlook. The morning sees rain showers, but the wind is a slight 3 mph cross-off from the SW, and the swell is 2.6ft from the SW at 14 seconds, with 372 combined energy. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” and the score is a 2 out of 10. The afternoon is even better: clear skies, a light 6 mph cross-off from the SSW, 2

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