Kleinmond Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a wait. The first real surf to talk about hits us this Wednesday morning, the 5th of August. The sea’s been cooking up a solid SW groundswell, pushing 7 ft with a very long period of 16 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 2174 (moderate) and the wind is blowing clean offshore from the NW. This is excellent for experienced surfers, but that long period means the waves will be lining up with real power and some big gaps between sets. The water’s sitting at 60°, which is about normal for this time of year. This is a true standout, clean and powerful.

Come Wednesday afternoon, though, the wind picks up to a fresh 35 km/h from the NW, going cross-off. The swell is still there, a touch bigger at 8 ft, but the wind is going to mess with the surface. It’s a write-off for me.

Thursday the 6th is a different story. The swell jumps to a solid 12 ft, still from the SW, but the period drops to 13 seconds. The morning wind is light from the ESE, but it’s cross-on, so the surface will have a bit of texture. However, that wave size is getting into the "too big" zone for this break at Kleinmond. The energy is ramping up to 3557 (moderate). This is really only for the expert crew. Thursday afternoon holds the same size, but the wind goes straight onshore from the SE. Not the one.

Friday the 7th is a day of potential. The swell holds at 10 ft to 12 ft, SW, with a decent 14-15 second period. The morning has a cross-shore E wind at 15 km/h, which will be lumpy. The afternoon sees a light cross-on from the S. The energy is building to a peak of 5036 (moderate). It’s still big, but the afternoon could offer some cleaner lines if the wind behaves.

Saturday the 8th offers a window. The morning has a slight WSW wind with a cross-shore direction, on a 8 ft SW swell (13 seconds). The energy is 2248. It’s a bit mushy, but rideable. The afternoon is the real standout for the weekend. The wind switches to a light WNW cross-off, and the swell is a clean 10 ft from the SW with a 14-second period. The energy is 3773. This is clean, powerful, and for the experienced only. The crowd at Kleinmond can be around sometimes, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Then, from Sunday the 9th, we’re in a rough patch. Strong onshore winds from the SSE blow through until Tuesday the 11th. The swell drops right off, with energy falling to 784 (weak) by Tuesday. The waves are small and the wind is howling. Total write-off for a few days.

Mid-week, the 12th and 13th, the swell tries to rebuild. We get a 5 ft to 6 ft SW groundswell, but the period is all over the place, and the wind is a persistent cross-shore or cross-on from the E. The energy is moderate (1500-1750), but the conditions are just choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out.

There’s a glimmer of hope on Saturday the 15th. The swell drops to a clean 5 ft from the WSW, and the wind goes glassy. The energy is low at 604 (weak), but the surface will be like a mirror. This is a good morning for a longboard or a funboard. The crowds might be out if the word gets around.

The next week, starting Monday the 17th, the winds are back up. We get a fresh offshore NW wind on the morning of the 17th, pushing a 5 ft WSW swell, but the period is short at 9 seconds. The energy is 619 (weak). It’s choppy and not great. The 18th of August sees another big pulse of 12 ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is light and onshore with a cross-on component. This is another one for the expert crew only, and even then, the conditions are marginal.

The final days of the forecast, the 20th of August, are a monster. A 18 ft SW swell with a 15-second period is forecast, with an energy reading of 12643 (strong). The wind is a fresh cross-on from the E. This is pure chaos. This is too big for any paddle surfing, and the wind is wrong. This looks more interesting for the kite surfers than the paddle crew.

So, to wrap it up: the best bets are Wednesday morning the 5th for a solid, clean groundswell, and Saturday afternoon the 8th for a powerful, clean set. The long-range bigger swells in the second week have too much wind or are too big to be enjoyable. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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