Surf Forecasts:
Fish Hoek surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, SW swell with 7,110 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 11s period with S 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 Friday (Aug 28) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Fish Hoek in the next 16 days are 3.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fish Hoek over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at this 16-day run for Fish Hoek. It’s a bit of a slow burn, with a couple of real gems if you’re willing to wait.
Right off the bat, the first few days are a tough slog. Friday 28 August morning has a little south swell of about 3 feet with an 11-second period, but the wind is cross-off and the energy is weak (276). It’s rideable, but it’s not calling my name. From there, it gets worse. Saturday 29 August and Sunday 30 August are a write-off – the wind is screaming from the SSE at 19 mph, the swell is lumpy, and it’s all blown out. You’ll be fighting a cross-chop, and it’s just not worth it.
The first real standout fires up on Tuesday 1 September. The morning is glassy with a light offshore breeze from the west at 6 mph. The swell is a solid 6 feet from the southwest, running at 14 seconds, and the energy is strong (1184). The water temp is about 59°, a little cooler than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a good suit. The waves will have shape and power, and with that offshore wind, it’ll be clean as a whistle. That’s your best window in the first week. The afternoon is similar, with a cross-off breeze and a 6-foot swell.
Then we hit a nasty stretch. Wednesday 2 September through Friday 4 September is a hard pass. The wind picks up to near-gale force from the southeast, over 25 mph, and the swell gets huge and messy. On Wednesday morning, the swell is 10 feet from the southwest with a 16-second period, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore, making it a washing machine. The energy is extreme (5017), but it’s unsurfable for a paddle board. This is more of a kite day, honestly. Winds stay brutal at 31-37 mph, blowing everything out. Don’t bother.
After that storm passes, Saturday 5 September is a huge payoff. The morning is clean with a light cross-off breeze from the north-northwest at 6 mph. The swell is 8 feet from the southeast, period of 10 seconds, and the energy is strong (1234). It’s a big, powerful swell – about as big as you’d want for a fun session, but it’s a heavy wave. Beginners should sit this one out. The afternoon holds up with a moderate offshore breeze from the northwest, keeping the 7-foot swell clean. This is a true standout.
By Sunday 6 September, the swell drops to 2 feet, but with a long 16-second period, it’s a clean, gentle wave with offshore wind. Good for a longboard or a quiet session.
The second week is pretty quiet. Monday 7 September to Wednesday 9 September is mostly tiny and weak, with onshore or cross-shore winds. Swell is 1 to 2 feet, and the energy is low. Not worth the drive. Thursday 10 September and Friday 11 September are similar – occasional clean conditions, but the swell is just too small. The best you’ll see is a 3-foot, short-period wave with a cross-off wind, but it’s not enough.
Finally, Saturday 12 September looks like a decent end to the run. The swell picks up to 4-5 feet from the southwest with a 14-second period, and the wind is clean from the north-northwest. The energy is moderate (777). It’s a promising day, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep your expectations in check.
The Gist: Your two best bets are Tuesday 1 September and Saturday 5 September. The 1st is a clean, solid all-rounder, and the 5th is the big, powerful day for the experienced crew. The rest is a mix of small, windy, or just plain ugly. Be patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, fresh winds from the SSE by Sun afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, strong winds from the SE by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
185 | 250 | 215 | 418 | 257 | 444 | 837 | 635 | 678 | 469 | 338 | 534 | 1184 | 976 | 1733 | 5017 | 2942 | 1998 | 1069 | 449 | 514 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 3:33PM1.59m | 3:44AM1.50m | 4:01PM1.63m | 4:15AM1.50m | 4:31PM1.63m | 4:48AM1.47m | 5:03PM1.60m | 5:22AM1.41m | 5:38PM1.52m | 6:01AM1.32m | 6:18PM1.41m | 6:47AM1.20m | 7:10PM1.28m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:22AM0.08m | 9:44PM0.10m | 9:49AM0.06m | 10:14PM0.07m | 10:18AM0.07m | 10:45PM0.07m | 10:48AM0.10m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:22AM0.17m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:59AM0.27m | 00:39AM0.30m | 12:45PM0.40m | 1:38AM0.42m | |||||||
7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | |
— | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | WSW 13 | SW 15 | SW 10 | SW 8 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
185 | 138 | 215 | 418 | 241 | 244 | 837 | 635 | 678 | 469 | 338 | 534 | 1184 | 976 | 1733 | 5017 | 2942 | 1998 | 1069 | 449 | 514 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | S 10 | S 11 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SE 11 | S 10 | SSW 13 | — | — | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | SSW 11 | SW 14 |
45 | 250 | 72 | 89 | 257 | 444 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 98 | — | — | 598 | — | — | — | — | 93 | 69 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | S 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 14 | S 11 | S 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SSW 10 |
46 | 34 | 58 | 36 | 61 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 36 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSW 4 | SW 9 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 7 | S 7 | SSE 4 | ESE 4 | — | — | — | — | SSE 5 | — | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 |
— | — | — | — | 5 | 174 | 30 | 42 | 49 | 38 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 46 | — | 72 | 207 | 440 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 275 | 10 | 43 | 339 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 203 | 401 | 164 | 227 | 1095 | 1192 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











