Surf Forecasts:
Kelso (Happy Wanderers) surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 18s period, S swell with 7,240 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period with SSW 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Kelso (Happy Wanderers) in the next 16 days are 3.5m 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.5m 9s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 13) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kelso (Happy Wanderers) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Kelso (Happy Wanderers). It’s a point break, fairly consistent, and it handles a south swell best. Right now, the water’s sitting at 72°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.
Alright, to be straight with you, the next week and a half is a real struggle. We’ve got a gap from now all the way through to Thursday the 11th where there’s just nothing worth paddling out for. The wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore and often fresh, the swell is small, and the wave energy is very weak—you’re looking at values like 41 to 106 in that dead zone. It’s flat and messy.
Friday morning, the 12th, there’s a tiny glimmer. We see a 2ft south-west groundswell rolling in with a period of 16 seconds, so it’s long-period energy. The wind is cross-offshore and clean, which is a plus. But honestly, the combined energy is only 279, and the swell is small and inconsistent. It’s a marginal look, not a standout.
The real promise shows up farther out. On Monday the 21st of September, we’ve got a pulse of 7ft swell from the south-southwest early in the morning—that’s solid, chunky surf. The period is short, only 6 seconds, which means it’ll be a bit crumbly and wind-driven, but the wind is a gentle cross-offshore breeze and the conditions are clean with moderate wave energy (386). It’s not perfect, but it’s the best on offer in this whole run. By the afternoon, it bumps up to 8ft from the same direction, with moderate cross-shore wind and energy up to 761. That’s a solid, powerful wave but the period is still short, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and less organized. That morning session is your pick—size with decent shape.
If I had to pick one standout, it’s that Monday the 21st morning. The swell is well over 5ft, so it’s not a beginner wave, and with the short period, it’ll be a bit of a grindy, walled-up wave. Still, clean conditions and size make it worth a look. Crowds are possible at this spot at times, so you might have company.
The rest of the second week is small and puny, with the 17th and 18th showing glassy mornings but barely a ripple. Nothing else grabs you.
Alright, that’s the picture from here. Stay patient, and that last pulse might just make it worth the wait. Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the NE by Tue afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 23°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NE on Wed afternoon, light winds from the SE by Thu afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 11 | SSW 20 | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SW 20 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | S 6 | SSE 7 | E 9 | SSE 7 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 229 | 2267 | 5805 | 3098 | 1297 | 279 | 198 | 161 | 88 | 65 | 60 | 21 | 27 | 102 | 274 | 196 | 143 | 164 | 140 | 56 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 00:53AM1.23m | 1:34PM1.31m | 1:54AM1.41m | 2:20PM1.53m | 2:35AM1.56m | 2:57PM1.72m | 3:10AM1.69m | 3:30PM1.85m | 3:42AM1.77m | 4:01PM1.92m | 4:12AM1.80m | 4:30PM1.93m | 4:41AM1.78m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:26PM0.67m | 7:16AM0.54m | 7:44PM0.48m | 8:05AM0.34m | 8:30PM0.30m | 8:42AM0.17m | 9:06PM0.15m | 9:15AM0.04m | 9:39PM0.05m | 9:46AM-0.04m | 10:09PM0.00m | 10:15AM-0.06m | 10:38PM0.00m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | |  | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — |
 | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | SSW 20 | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | S 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 |
| kJ | 194 | 2267 | 5805 | 3098 | 1297 | 279 | 198 | 161 | 88 | 65 | 60 | 574 | 528 | 329 | 202 | 173 | 143 | 164 | 140 | 54 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 14 | E 10 | — | E 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 16 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SW 20 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | E 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 229 | 526 | 154 | — | 31 | 201 | 96 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 25 | 21 | 27 | 102 | 274 | 196 | 169 | 135 | 127 | 56 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | E 8 | — | — | — | E 10 | S 18 | — | S 16 | SW 17 | SSW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SE 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 |
| kJ | 45 | 135 | — | — | — | 19 | 6 | — | 5 | 12 | 11 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 102 | 39 | 57 | 48 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ENE 4 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | — | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | — | — | ENE 3 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 61 | 178 | 278 | 531 | 598 | 542 | 759 | 979 | 683 | — | 35 | 109 | 126 | — | — | 4 | 427 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 49 | 14 | 49 | 158 | 203 | 426 | 647 | 383 | 426 | 635 | 49 | 215 | 51 | 0 | 260 | 50 | 0 | 41 | 49 | 830 |
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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