Surf Forecasts:
Kelso (Happy Wanderers) surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 31 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, SE swell with 2,043 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Kelso (Happy Wanderers) this week:
The surf forecast for Kelso (Happy Wanderers) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Kelso (Happy Wanderers) in the next 16 days are 3.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kelso (Happy Wanderers) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Yo, it’s Rusty here. First up, the water’s at a warm 73°F at Kelso (Happy Wanderers) – that’s about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so a little extra comfort in the wetsuit.
Right now, there’s not much to get excited about for the next few days. Thursday’s got some swell but it’s sloppy with strong cross-off winds, so I wouldn’t bother. Friday and Saturday stay average with bumpy 8ft to 7ft SSE/SE swell and moderate onshore cross-winds—the combined energy sits between 785 and 1465 (moderate to strong), but the quality just ain’t there. Sunday the 2nd is where it turns on. We get a solid 8ft SE groundswell with a long 11-second period and a light cross-off breeze. That’s excellent for experienced surfers—clean, punchy lines with moderate-to-strong energy (1539). This is the standout of the first week: Kelso will be offering clean, well-shaped waves, but since it’s fairly consistent and sometimes crowded, expect a few locals out. The long period means it’ll be a bit more powerful, perfect for this point break.
Monday the 3rd drops off quickly with onshore NE wind and weaker 7ft swell (805 energy). By Tuesday and Wednesday it’s tiny and messy—4ft down to 3ft (294 down to 136 energy). There’s a small glassy window Wednesday afternoon with a 3ft ESE swell (153), but it’s just knee-high and flat.
Then we hit a big gap. From late Wednesday the 5th through to Monday the 10th, it’s mostly poor. A few tiny systems roll through—2ft to 4ft—but they’re either wind-chopped, onshore, or just weak. The combined energy stays under 700, and it’s not worth paddling out. Even Thursday the 6th has a 5ft SSW swell but with a short 7-second period (465 energy), so it’s messy and disorganized.
Then, on Tuesday the 11th of August, we get a late surprise. A strong 10ft SSW groundswell shows up with an 11-second period and moderate cross-off wind, bringing a massive 3138 combined energy (very strong). The conditions are clean, but that size—over 8ft—pushes it into expert-only territory. Expect powerful, heavy waves at Kelso. That’s your long-range standout, though keep in mind it’s a week and a half out, so the forecast might shift. Wednesday the 12th holds a solid 7ft SSW swell (1404 energy) with clean winds, so there’s a decent run for the experienced crew.
After that, it fades again into small, windy junk from Thursday to Friday the 14th. If you’re after something for the second week, aim for Tuesday and Wednesday the 11th–12th—big, clean, and powerful, but only for those who know what they’re doing.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Thu afternoon, light winds from the W by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 475 | 1440 | 1302 | 1169 | 1203 | 696 | 729 | 865 | 2043 | 1510 | 1411 | 1221 | 763 | 603 | 370 | 272 | 221 | 149 | 123 | 141 | 154 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross | on | glassy | off |
High Tide | 4:37PM1.68m | 4:42AM1.69m | 5:05PM1.73m | 5:10AM1.69m | 5:33PM1.76m | 5:39AM1.67m | 6:02PM1.74m | 6:09AM1.62m | 6:33PM1.70m | 6:41AM1.53m | 7:09PM1.61m | 7:19AM1.41m | 7:51PM1.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:23AM0.11m | 10:38PM0.20m | 10:50AM0.06m | 11:07PM0.17m | 11:18AM0.05m | 11:37PM0.17m | 11:46AM0.07m | 00:08AM0.20m | 12:16PM0.12m | 00:42AM0.26m | 12:49PM0.21m | 1:21AM0.35m | 1:27PM0.32m | 2:09AM0.47m | |||||||
 | |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — |
 | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 24 | 22 | 18 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | E 10 | — | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 475 | 49 | — | 232 | 156 | 696 | 729 | 865 | 2043 | 1510 | 1411 | 1221 | 763 | 603 | 370 | 272 | 221 | 103 | 124 | 102 | 114 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | — | — | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 10 |
| kJ | 71 | — | — | 64 | 56 | 65 | 35 | 44 | 37 | 23 | 38 | 31 | 17 | 63 | 52 | 44 | 39 | 149 | 123 | 141 | 154 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | — | — | S 18 | S 14 | S 12 | SSW 16 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 15 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 50 | 21 | — | — | 6 | 14 | 12 | 25 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 59 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | — | — | — | WSW 3 | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | ENE 4 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 7 | — | SSW 4 |
| kJ | 440 | 1440 | 1302 | 1169 | 1203 | 220 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 13 | 31 | 177 | 173 | — | 8 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 279 | 354 | 0 | 842 | 862 | 0 | 78 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 49 | 14 | 49 | 49 | 14 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Kelso (Happy Wanderers) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Kelso (Happy Wanderers) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Kelso (Happy Wanderers) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Kelso (Happy Wanderers) surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Kelso (Happy Wanderers)) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Kelso (Happy Wanderers) may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Kelso (Happy Wanderers) is 5 km (3 miles) from Scottburgh. If you plan a holiday in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Scottburgh. Scottburgh has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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