Hout Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright lads, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s brewing for the Hout Bay zone over the next couple of weeks.

First off, we’ve got a rough start. The early days are a total write-off. The wind is screaming from the southeast, messing up what would be some decent sized swell. For the first few days, there’s nothing worth getting wet for. You’re looking at about a four-day gap before things turn around. Stay patient.

The real action kicks off on Sunday, September 6th. That morning, the conditions come together. We’ve got a solid 8ft swell from the SW, with a period of 18 seconds – that’s serious groundswell. The wind is glassy, dead flat. The combined wave energy is a strong 3495. This is excellent, but it’s for experienced surfers only. The break itself – Hout Bay breakwater – is an inconsistent spot, and it’s sheltered. The water temp is 56°, which is about 4° colder than normal for this time of year, so that’s a real chilly one. Sunday afternoon holds up too, with a 7ft SW swell, still glassy, and still packing a punch at 2269 energy. This is the standout of the whole outlook. If you’re a seasoned surfer, this is your window.

After that, we get a couple of days of clean, but smaller surf. Monday the 7th has a clean 6ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-off from the NNW, and the energy drops to 1365. Tuesday the 8th is glassy again in the morning, but the swell is only 3ft, which is small for this spot. It’s clean, but weak.

Things get messy again mid-week, with onshore winds and choppy conditions. The energy bounces around, but the wind is just wrong.

Then we get a long stretch of poor conditions. From the 9th right through to the 14th, it’s mostly onshore, with the wind ripping from the SSE and SE. The swell is there, with some serious size on the 13th – a 13ft SSW swell, but the energy is a massive 4121. The problem is the wind is howling straight onshore, making it ugly. The 12th and 13th have some heavy numbers, but the onshore wind means it’s only for the hardcore, or honestly, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

By Tuesday the 15th, we get a small window of hope. The morning is still average, but the afternoon brings a clean 3ft SSE swell with a 12-second period and a nice offshore wind from the NW. It’s a small, clean option, but worth a look if you’re keen.

Looking into the second week, Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th have some serious potential. The 16th has a 10ft SW swell with a 17-second period, and the energy is a massive 4835. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean. The 17th is even better in the afternoon, with an 12ft SW swell, 14-second period, and a clean cross-off breeze from the west. The energy is 4242, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a promising long-range call, but it’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on it.

So, to sum it up: Sunday the 6th is your best bet for clean, powerful, glassy surf. Keep Thursday the 17th on your radar as a potential second hit.

Rusty.

Read more