Haardebaai Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. The only spot in the frame is Haardebaai, a reef break that needs a decent size and a clean window to really shine. We’ve got a fair bit of swell coming, but the wind is going to be the main character in this story, and for a while there, it’s going to be a proper villain.

The first few days are a write-off, honestly. Thursday 23rd July is messy with a fresh onshore breeze, and the swell is just not clean. The water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. We’re looking at a gap of a few days before anything worth paddling out for shows up.

The real standout window looks like Friday 24th July morning. The wind goes glassy, and we’ve got a solid 12 ft swell rolling in from the SW with a long period of 14 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and with the wind off the land, it’s going to be clean and powerful. The energy is strong (5186). This is the pick of the bunch, but it’s a big one – over 8 ft, so this is for experienced surfers only. The reef will handle the long period nicely, but it’s likely to be a heavy, walled-up wave. Not for the faint-hearted.

The next real highlight is a long way off, but it’s promising. Monday 4th August morning sees another pulse of SW swell, 10 ft, with a 14-second period, and a moderate offshore wind from the NW keeping things clean. The energy is pumping (3804). That’s another one for the experienced crew. The following morning, Tuesday 5th August, gets even bigger – 15 ft from the SW with a 17-second period – but the wind goes cross-shore, so it’ll be a bit of a battle. The energy is huge (10795), but it’s not going to be as clean. Still, if you’re a big-wave charger and don’t mind a bit of chop, that’s a heavy session.

Thursday 6th August morning offers another chance with a 10 ft SW groundswell and a 15-second period, with offshore winds again. Clean and powerful. This is a solid week of serious swell, but you’ll need to pick your windows carefully.

The rest of the period is a mix of onshore winds, smaller swell, and poor conditions. The crowds at Haardebaai can be a thing sometimes, but with the size on offer, most of the crew will be watching from the shore. It’s a reef, so it’ll hold the big, long-period energy well, but that also means it’ll be a bit straight and fast on the peak.

So, bottom line: if you’re a surfer who lives for big, clean, offshore groundswell, get on Friday 24th July morning and then Monday 4th August and Thursday 6th August mornings. The rest is a waiting game. Stay salty.

Rusty

Read more