Jongensfontein Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

So, for the next couple of weeks, the surf is gonna be a bit of a mixed bag. The ocean’s got some life in it, that’s for sure, but the winds are gonna be the deciding factor. We’re looking at a stretch where you gotta pick your windows carefully. The first week is all about waiting for the magic moments, and the second week is where the real power shows up, but it’s gonna be too much for most.

Let’s break it down. The first couple of days are pretty lackluster. Monday afternoon the swell is a weak 6ft from the SSW with a period of 13 seconds (combined energy of 1345, so moderate to strong). But the ESE wind is making it messy, so it’s not worth your time. Tuesday is even more of a letdown with a weaker, short-period 5ft easterly swell and that onshore breeze chopping things up. You can give that a miss too.

The first real chance you’ll get is on Wednesday morning, September 9th. It’s gonna be smaller, only 3ft from the SW, but the period jumps to a nice 14 seconds. More importantly, that WSW light breeze is a cross-offshore wind, making it clean. It’s not big, but it’ll be the best shape you’ve seen so far. The combined energy is weak at 351, but for a clean, small wave, it could be fun. The afternoon will see it stay clean but drop off a bit more.

Then the swell starts to fill in for Thursday, but the wind turns against us again. Thursday morning has a more solid 6ft SW swell with a long 16-second period (strong energy at 1600), but that cross-shore wind adds some chop. It’s rideable, but not glassy. The rest of that week stays in this holding pattern of cross-shore and onshore winds, keeping things from really firing. The energy stays moderate, but the quality is lacking.

Now, we get to the weekend, and it’s pretty much a write-off. Saturday brings onshore winds that are howling, with that swell building. Sunday, the wind is a mess, too. Just don’t bother.

The first real standout is Monday morning, September 14th. This is where it starts to get interesting. The wind is a light 3 mph from the north, which is cross-offshore and smellin' clean. The swell is up to 7ft, but it’s from the SE with a short period of only 9 seconds. That short period means it’ll be a bit sectiony, but the lack of wind will keep it from being a total mess. The energy reads moderate to strong (1173). That’s a decent option for experienced surfers.

The next morning, Tuesday, September 15th, is your best bet of the first week. I’m serious. The wind drops to nothing, and it’s glassy – pure glass. The swell is down a bit to 4ft from the SW with an 11-second period (energy at 596). It’s not the biggest, but with that glassy surface, the reef at Jongensfontein will feel like a point break. This is the one to get out for if you can.

Jongensfontein (Western Cape) starts to get really serious on Wednesday, September 16th. The swell is a solid 10ft from the SW with a long 16-second period, and the combined energy is massive at 4660. The WSW wind is cross-offshore, so it’s cleaning it up, but at this size, this reef break is for experts only. It's too big for beginners and will be a proper handful for anyone else. The next few days keep that big swell, and the winds just get worse. It’s just too big and messy.

After the storm passes, the second week settles down a bit. The next clear winner is Sunday morning, September 20th. The swell has dropped to a much more manageable 4ft from the SW with a long 15-second period (combined energy is 1287, moderate). More importantly, it’s glassy again with a light 6 mph WSW cross-offshore wind. This will be clean, lined-up, and a whole lot more fun than anything we saw mid-week. Another great window.

After that, the wind is back on it, and the swell stays up, but it's just not clean. The ocean gets messy and blown out for the rest of the run, with strong onshore winds. The last few days, the swell is still there, but you won’t want to be out in that.

So, to sum it up: the best of the best is that glassy window on Tuesday morning, September 15th – it’s small, but it will be perfect. Then the biggest, most powerful day is Wednesday morning, September 16th for the experts only, if you can handle it.

Rusty

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