Haardebaai Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's look at what's happening at Haardebaai in feet and miles per hour.

The next couple of days are a total loss. There's a solid SW groundswell coming, but the wind is just wrecking it. Thursday and Friday are all cross-onshore junk, with waves around 5ft down to 4ft. It's choppy and ugly. Don't bother.

The weekend starts to show some life. Saturday morning, the 1st of August, the wind finally dies. It's glassy, with a 4ft SW swell and a 14-second period. The energy is moderate (581). It's not big, but that clean surface will make it look way better than what we've been dealing with.

Sunday morning, the 2nd, is the best bet for the early part. We've got a light offshore breeze out of the WNW, 4ft of SW swell, and a 13-second period. That's clean, lined-up reef surf. The energy is moderate (533), but the wind is off, so the faces will be smooth. The water is sitting at 59°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th get a bit mixed up with onshore winds again, but Tuesday morning does have another clean window with a light offshore and 5ft of SW swell. Worth a look.

Now, Wednesday the 5th of August is when the ocean wakes up. We're looking at a big, powerful SW groundswell. 12ft of swell with a 15-second period—that's a long period groundswell. The energy is strong (4703). The wind is a fresh offshore from the NNW, which is perfect for this reef. This is big, clean, and powerful. Experts only; 12ft at a reef is serious business. Crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you'll have some company.

Friday the 7th of August is another gem. The swell is still solid at 12ft, but the wind goes glassy, and the period is still a long 14 seconds. The energy is still very strong (4706). That morning, with a light offshore from the WNW, you'll have some of the cleanest, most powerful waves of the forecast. The afternoon is glassy, too. This is a top-tier session for the experienced crew.

The 8th of August Saturday gets blown out by a strong to near-gale offshore wind. 37 mph winds? That's too much, even for a reef. The surf will be clean but impossible to paddle into. Skip it.

The 9th through the 11th is a stormy mess. Rain, strong winds, and a lot of cross-onshore chop. The swell is still there, but the quality is gone. This is more kite-surfing weather.

The 12th of August (Wednesday) is a distant highlight. The morning is glassy again, with a massive 10ft SW groundswell and a very long 15-second period. The energy is extreme (4847). That's a very long period groundswell, which will be a freight train on the reef. Afternoon gets a light cross-onshore ripple, but still a solid 10ft at 16 seconds. This is a serious, expert-only swell.

The 14th of August (Friday morning) closes out the forecast nicely. A glassy morning, 7ft of WSW swell, and a 13-second period. The energy is still strong (1528). It's a much more manageable size, and it's clean. A good way to end the run.

So, to sum it up. The best of the best? Sunday the 2nd for a clean, manageable session. Then, for the big guns, Wednesday the 5th and Friday the 7th are the standouts for experienced surfers. The 12th of August is also a monster, but it's a long way off.

Rusty.

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