Fish Hoek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Fish Hoek over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first real chance to wet a line is Tuesday morning, the 4th of August. It’s small, with a 3ft swell from the SW, but the wind is glassy out of the ESE at 3 mph. The water’s sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is a moderate 213. It’s surfable, but you’d be scratching for a shoulder.

The next few days are a write-off, honestly. Wednesday the 5th through Friday the 7th sees a jump in size – up to 8ft by Friday afternoon – but the wind is a mess. Cross-off and cross-on winds in the 12-15 mph range are just gonna chop it up. The energy is strong (ranging from 1212 to 2848), but it’s not doing us any favours.

The standout window opens on Saturday, the 8th of August. This is the one to circle. Saturday morning we’ve got clean 6ft SW swell with a light cross-off breeze from the WSW at 6 mph. The energy is a solid 1102. By afternoon, it gets even better: the wind turns offshore from the WNW at 9 mph, and the swell bumps up to 6ft from the SW. The combined energy is 1280. This is going to be clean, lined-up, and fun. The swell period is a solid 13 seconds, so it’s got some punch. Fish Hoek is fairly exposed to the SW, so this will be working. Just keep in mind that crowds are often a thing here, but for this quality, it’ll be worth sharing a few waves.

Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th are a total loss. The wind goes ballistic, with strong cross-onshore gusts up to 28 mph, and the swell is messy and blown out. The energy is huge (over 2400), but it’s not for surfing – it’s more of a kite session, if you’re into that.

Tuesday the 11th of August is a sneaky second option. The swell drops to 7ft from the SE, with a light cross-shore breeze from the NE at 3 mph. The energy is still strong at 1404. The period is a bit shorter at 10 seconds, so it won’t be as clean as Saturday, but it’s rideable. The wind is light, so it should be alright.

The middle of the week, Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th, is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell drops back to 4-6ft, but the period is very long – 18 to 16 seconds. That’s a groundswell, and it’ll be breaking a bit straight on the beach. It’s best for the points and reefs, but Fish Hoek is a beach setup, so it might be a bit fat. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s not terrible. The best of this stretch is Thursday afternoon with a clean 5ft SW swell, light cross-off wind from the N at 3 mph, and a combined energy of 1002.

Friday the 14th of August is another solid pick. Morning starts with a clean 4ft SW swell and a light cross-off breeze from the NW at 6 mph. The energy is 558. By afternoon, the wind goes offshore from the NW at 9 mph, and the swell is 4ft. The period is 13 seconds, so it’s clean and fun. This is a good, cruisy session.

The weekend of the 15th and 16th is poor again. Wind picks up onshore, swell drops below 3ft, and the energy is weak. It’s not worth it.

The following week, Monday the 17th of August, has some size (6ft WSW) but the wind is a strong cross-off at 15 mph, which makes it rough. The energy is 916, but it’s not clean.

Wednesday the 19th of August is a late standout. The morning brings a clean 5ft SSW swell with a light cross-off wind from the NW at 9 mph. The energy is 701. By afternoon, the wind goes offshore from the NW at 12 mph, and the swell drops to 4ft but with a clean 11-second period and a combined energy of 480. It’s a smaller, but glassy session to end the run.

So, if you’re picking your days: Saturday the 8th of August is the best of the lot. Clean, solid SW swell with offshore winds. Friday the 14th and Wednesday the 19th are good backups for a more relaxed paddle.

Rusty.

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