Jongensfontein Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The charts have been showing some serious life for Jongensfontein, and I’ve been keeping a close eye on it. It’s a reef set-up, exposed and consistent, and when it’s on, it’s a proper wave. But you gotta be smart about when you paddle out. This is not a forgiving break when it’s big.

We’re starting Thursday, the 20th of August, and that’s the big one. The morning is glassy, clear skies, with a light offshore breeze. We’ve got a big 12ft SSW groundswell, with a long 14-second period. The energy is through the roof, at 4025. This is a lot of water moving, and it’s going to be powerful. The wind is nothing, so it’s gonna be clean, but this is for experts only. The water temp is 61°, which is about normal for this time of year. The swell direction is SSW, which is exactly what this reef likes. The afternoon eases to 8ft, but the wind swings onshore and it gets messy. That morning session is the one to be there for.

After that, things go flat and messy. Friday the 21st is a total loss, with a rising cross-on wind and the swell dropping below 6ft. It’s choppy and junky. Saturday the 22nd is not much better, with a fresh cross-shore breeze making it lumpy. We have a few days of nothing really worth getting wet for. Sunday the 23rd is still marginal, with a light cross-on wind and 7ft of swell. It’s there, but it’s not clean.

Now, circle Monday the 24th of August. The morning sees a light cross-off breeze and the swell has dropped to a much more manageable 5ft, still from the SW with a 12-second period. The report says "expect very good surf conditions." The wind is light, the surf is clean, and the energy is okay. It’s not the size of Thursday, but it’s going to be a much more user-friendly wave. This is the one for the average surfer.

Tuesday the 25th is a let-down, with a moderate cross-on breeze making it choppy again. The swell is up to 7ft but the wind kills it. The rest of that week is a lot of nothing. Wednesday the 26th is cross-shore, Thursday the 27th has a small, clean 4ft swell with a light cross-off, but it’s small. You might get a fun one, but it’s not setting the world on fire.

Then we hit Friday the 28th of August. The morning is glassy, flat calm, with a 5ft SW groundswell at 15 seconds. That’s a long-period swell, which is great for a reef like this. The energy is moderate, but the conditions are perfect. This is another good window, but the long period means the sets are gonna be widely spaced. Don’t expect a constant wave, but when they come, they’ll be clean and pushy.

The end of the month has a bit of a wild card. Sunday the 30th of August starts with an 8ft SE swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds. The wind is glass in the morning, and it says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is a different direction, a bit straight, but the glassy conditions will make it look inviting. However, the afternoon blows out with onshore wind and the swell jumps to 10ft, which is too big and ugly.

Monday the 31st is a complete wash-out with strong winds, even if the swell is there. You don’t want to be out there.

Now, the big one for the end of the window. Tuesday the 1st of September. The morning has a 8ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period. That’s a very long period, serious energy. The wind is a cross-off and it’s clean. The energy reading jumps to 2738. This is a powerful, clean swell on a reef. It’s promised for the morning, and it’s a looker. The afternoon, though, jumps to 10ft and goes cross-shore, so again, it’s for experts only.

Wednesday the 2nd has some size but the wind is up in the afternoon. The real story is the long-period swells in this window. They’re clean and powerful, but they’ll have long gaps between sets. For the best of the best, Thursday the 20th morning is the standout, with that huge, clean SSW swell, and then the smaller, cleaner window on Monday the 24th is the one for the masses. The rest of the time, pick your tides and be patient. If you’re not an expert, take the small days, and if you’re a charger, you know which mornings to set the alarm for.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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