Hennemans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming up for Hennemans, a reef setup that’s inconsistent and needs a solid W swell to really fire. The water’s sitting at 74°, which is a whopping 7° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s highly unusual, so you’ll be surfing in a very mild bath.

The next 16 days start with a bit of a nothing burger. We’ve got a long run of weak, compromised swell with onshore and cross-onshore winds that just aren’t doing the spot any favours. From Wednesday 22nd July right through to the end of July, the wave energy is moderate at best, with poor surf conditions and marginal tidally-affected waves. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, with a few onshore moments, so expect a lot of chop and a lack of form. The combined swell energy sits mostly between 463 and 895 – moderate energy, but the quality just isn’t there. The period is long, up to 15-24 seconds, which is groundswell, but it’s hitting the reef at the wrong angle or with the wrong wind. It’s a frustrating stretch; there’s a gap of several days where you’d be better off not even looking at the ocean.

The real standout, the one that gets my blood pumping, is Saturday 1st August. We’ve got a solid pulse of swell coming in. The morning sees 6ft from the SSW with a light cross-onshore breeze, and the afternoon picks up to 6ft from the same direction. The combined energy jumps to 1174 and then 1387 – that’s strong wave energy. Now, the wind is light cross-onshore, so it won’t be glassy, but it’s clean enough. This is the best on offer: a decent size, good period swell (14 seconds) coming from the right direction for this reef. It’s a bit punchy for beginners at over 5ft, but intermediates will have a blast on the sets. Keep in mind this is an inconsistent spot, so to see it firing like this is a real treat. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

After that, Sunday 2nd August drops off a bit to 4-5ft, and by Monday 3rd August we’re back to smaller, weaker waves. The last few days of the forecast (4th-6th August) look poor, with onshore winds, short period swell (8 seconds), and weak energy. The spot is also exposed to the swell, but with those winds, it’s going to be a choppy mess. Honestly, for the kite surfers, those conditions might be a better bet than for us paddlers.

The pick of the whole 16 days is without a doubt Saturday 1st August at Hennemans. It’s a long way off, so the details could shift, but right now, that’s the one to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

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