Muizenberg Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for the Cape Town surf scene.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag. The first few days are looking pretty average, with a lot of onshore wind and messy conditions. But don’t write it off just yet – there are some real gems buried in the back half of this outlook.

We’ll start at Muizenberg. This is an exposed spot, and it’s been inconsistent lately. The first real chance for a wave comes on Tuesday morning, August 4th. It’s small, swell at 3 ft from the SW with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is glassy. The combined energy of all swells directed here is moderate, at 213. It’s not going to be a standout, but it’s a clean little wave for a beginner session. The water temp is sitting at 58.6°F, which is basically average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Then things get a bit wild. Wednesday the 5th sees the swell bump up to 5 ft from the SW, with a period of 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. But the wind is a cross-offshore from the NNW at 15 mph, and the combined energy jumps to 1200. It’s a powerful, long-period swell, but the conditions are only marginal. This kind of long period can make it break a bit straight at a beach break like Muizenberg, so it’s more of a challenge than a classic.

The middle of the week, from Thursday the 6th right through to Monday the 10th, is a write-off. Swell size gets up to over 8 ft, which is big and powerful, but it’s all being smashed by strong onshore winds from the SSE and ESE. The combined energy peaks at 2773 on Friday afternoon, but with onshore winds, it’s just a churning, messy closeout. This is heavy, expert-only stuff in bad wind. Honestly, for a beach break, it looks more like a day for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The real standout comes on Saturday, August 8th. We’ve got a clean 6 ft swell from the SW, with a period of 13 seconds. The wind is light and offshore – first a cross-off from the W at 6 mph in the morning, then turning pure offshore from the WNW at 9 mph in the afternoon. The combined energy is a solid 1197, so there’s decent power. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The offshore wind and long period will groom those waves into nice, clean lines. It’s the best quality on offer in the first week. The word is out on this spot, so expect crowds to be likely.

After that, Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th are back to being blown out again. But then we get a second wind. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 12th afternoon. The wind goes dead calm, glassy, and we’ve got a 5 ft swell from the SW with a period of 17 seconds. That’s a very long, powerful groundswell. The combined energy is 1436. This is excellent for experienced surfers again. The glassy conditions are a major positive, making it feel like a private session. Then Thursday morning, August 13th, keeps the magic going with glassy conditions and a 6 ft, 17-second swell from the SW, with combined energy at 1937. That’s solid, powerful, and clean. Another top-tier window.

The following weekend, August 15th and 16th, the swell drops back down to 3 ft to 4 ft, but with offshore winds and clean conditions, it’ll be a fun, small wave for a longboard or a mini-mal.

The last real highlight is Monday, August 17th. A big pulse of 8 ft swell from the SW with a period of 14 seconds is expected, with a moderate offshore wind from the NW at 12 mph. The combined energy is a massive 2923. This is excellent for experienced surfers, but that size is only for experts. It’s a powerful, clean, and heavy day.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout except for the clean Saturday the 8th. The second week has two superb windows on Wednesday the 12th afternoon and Thursday the 13th morning, with a heavy, expert-only day on Monday the 17th. The standouts are definitely Saturday the 8th and Thursday the 13th.

Stay stoked, and keep your eyes on the horizon.

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