Muizenberg Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for us.

The first proper surf window kicks off on Wednesday, 22 July, but it’s not a full-on classic. We’ve got a solid 5-foot swell from the SW, with a nice long 12 to 13-second period, and combined wave energy sitting at 644 to 734 (moderate). The wind is offshore from the NW, light and clean, which will keep the surface tidy. The water is sitting at 59°, which is pretty much what we’d expect for this time of year, no surprises there. Wednesday morning looks the best of this little run, with very clean, fun waves. Wednesday afternoon stays clean too. It’s a decent start, but not a standout.

Thursday the 23rd gets a bit messier. The wind swings more cross-offshore from the N, and while the swell hangs around 5 feet, the morning has a bit of light rain in the air and the session feels marginal. The afternoon, however, picks up a lot of energy – combined energy jumps to 1254 (moderate-strong) – with clean conditions again. That afternoon session is definitely the pick of Thursday, especially for experienced surfers.

Now, Friday the 24th is where things get interesting. The morning is glassy – dead calm from the NE at only 3 mph – and we’ve got a 8-foot SW swell with a 14-second period. Combined energy is pumping at 2310 (strong). That’s proper groundswell, and for a spot like Muizenberg, that long period can make waves a bit straight at the beach, but the glassy conditions will make it look fun. This is a big-wave morning for the more experienced crew. The afternoon sees the wind shift onshore from the SSE, dropping the quality, so get in early.

Saturday the 25th isn’t as good. The swell drops a touch to 6 feet, but the wind is onshore from the SE and SSE all day, putting a chop on the surface. The energy is still there, but it’s not clean. Sunday the 26th starts with a smaller 4-foot swell and light cross-on winds, but by the afternoon the wind picks up to 12 mph onshore, and the quality goes south. From Monday the 27th through to Thursday the 30th, it’s a write-off. Strong onshore winds from the SE, gusting up to 25 mph, with lumpy, poor conditions. The swell is still there, but it’s not for paddling – this setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional surf.

We hit a bit of a reset on Friday, 31 July. The wind goes glassy, with a tiny 3-foot SW swell, period 12 seconds, and combined energy way down to 215 (weak). It’s surfable but very ordinary. Saturday, 1 August, is even smaller, with 2 feet and barely any energy. The gap of poor-to-flat conditions stretches from Monday the 27th all the way through to the start of August.

The next flicker of hope comes on Sunday, 2 August, with a 3-foot SW swell, but the wind is cross-shore, not ideal. Monday, 3 August, shows a bit more life – a 3-foot swell with a clean cross-offshore breeze from the NNE. Still small, but clean. Tuesday, 4 August, has a punchy little 5-foot swell from the SSE, but the period is short at 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit weak and lumpy. The afternoon turns offshore from the NW at 16 mph with a 3-foot SSW swell, but that’s a long 15-second period, which will be clean and may run nicely if you can find a bank.

Onto August, Wednesday the 5th has a moderate offshore wind, but the swell is only 4 to 4 feet. Thursday the 6th rounds out the outlook with glassy conditions in the morning and a clean 3-foot SSW swell, period 13 seconds. It’s small, but glassy and clean.

The real standout in this forecast is Friday morning, 24 July. That’s the one. Glassy, 8-foot SW groundswell, strong energy. That’s the session to plan for. The second-best is probably Thursday afternoon, 23 July, with clean conditions and solid energy. After that, the rest of the run is a mixture of small, clean, and marginal, with a long stretch of poor wind in the middle.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

Read more