Monwabisi Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s take a look at the local setup. The main action is coming from a solid SW groundswell, and the best windows are when the wind does its bit for us. A couple of standout sessions are on the cards, but there’s some real messy stuff in between too.

The first chance to get wet is on Thursday morning, July 16th. Monwabisi Strand is seeing a 5ft SW swell, with a nice 13-second period and glassy conditions. The combined energy is moderate (933). The water temp is about average for this time of year, so it’s not a shock to the system. This is a good, clean start for a beginner-friendly sandbar.

Thursday afternoon is still glassy, with a 5ft SW swell and the same period, energy dropping a bit (734). Still very good.

Friday the 17th starts off tricky with a light onshore wind and a 5ft SW swell, period down to 11 seconds. The morning is a bit of a washout. The afternoon cleans up though, glassy again with a 4ft SW swell (282 energy). It’s small but clean.

Saturday the 18th is a bit of a mixed bag. The wind is a cross-off at 9 mph both sessions, but the swell is only 3ft to 4ft, with a short period of 9 to 10 seconds. The energy is moderate (409 to 414), but it’s not the best shape. Clean enough for a beginner, but nothing special.

Sunday the 19th is a gem. The morning is dead calm, glassy, with a 4ft SW swell and a 12-second period (542 energy). That’s a proper little groundswell window, clean and organised. The afternoon turns onshore again, so the morning is the one.

Monday the 20th has a small 3ft SSW swell in the morning, glassy, decent shape (234 energy), but it’s tiny. The afternoon gets choppy with a cross-shore breeze.

Tuesday the 21st sees a big jump in size. A 8ft SSW swell hits, with a very long 15-second period. The energy is strong (2360). The wind is a strong cross-off at 22 mph, so it’s clean but the swell is big. This is getting into expert-only territory at 8ft, and the long period will make it dumpy and fast at a beach break like Monwabisi Strand. The crowd levels are “sometimes” here, so it might be on, but it’s a serious paddle.

Wednesday the 22nd is still big, with a 6ft SW swell, but the wind is still strong cross-off (16 mph). The energy is moderate (979). It’s still a solid, clean wave, but the size and wind mean it’s not for everyone.

Thursday the 23rd is dropping back to 5ft, but the afternoon gets a cross-on breeze and light rain, making it messy.

From Friday the 24th through to Sunday the 26th, the forecast is average to poor. Onshore winds and choppy conditions dominate, with the swell size up and down. Not worth getting excited about.

Now, the real standout is Saturday the 25th of July. The morning session is a beauty. A 8ft SSW swell, with a very long 15-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off at 3 mph. The energy is huge (2386). This is excellent for experienced surfers – clean, powerful, and long-period lines. The break is exposed, so it’ll take that SW swell well. It’s a big wave, over 8ft, so only for experts. The crowds are “sometimes,” so you might have it to yourself if you’re early.

The 30th of July sees a massive pulse. An 12ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, and the energy is enormous (4802). The wind is favourable, but the forecast says it’s too big for this break. That’s a warning: this is a beast of a day, not for the faint-hearted.

The 31st of July is even bigger, a 16ft SSW swell, which is completely out of the question for paddling.

Overall, the best bets are Thursday morning the 16th and Sunday morning the 19th for a clean, fun-sized swell, and Saturday morning the 25th for the big, clean, expert-level groundswell. The rest of the window is a mix of small, choppy, or too big.

Rusty

Read more