Surf Forecasts:
Nine Mile Reef surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 18s period, SSW swell with 1,740 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Nine Mile Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Nine Mile Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 1.5m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Nine Mile Reef in the next 16 days are 1.7m 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nine Mile Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and here’s what’s happening at Nine Mile Reef.
First up, the water is a bit colder than average for this time of year, sitting at 58°F, so you’ll want a good wetsuit. The outlook for the next 16 days is a real mixed bag, with a lot of wind and messy conditions to deal with.
We’re looking at a pretty rough start. The forecast kicks off on Thursday, 3rd September, but it’s not pretty. We’ve got a 10ft swell from the SSE, but it’s getting hammered by a strong cross-onshore wind, making it a total mess. The wave energy is very strong (1742), but honestly, it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session. That strong wind and poor quality continues right through the first weekend. By Saturday, it’s still choppy and lumpy, with a shorter period around 7 seconds, so it’s not really worth the paddle out.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday, 7th September. The wind finally swings offshore from the NNW, and we get a clean 3ft groundswell from the SSW. The period is a long 14 seconds, which means the wave energy is still moderate (611), but it's going to be lined up nicely on the reef. This is the best day on offer, but keep in mind that with a longer period like that, it might break a bit straight, though it’s a reef setup so it should handle it well. Crowds are possible here sometimes.
Tuesday, 8th September, has a nice glassy morning with a 3ft SSW swell and a 12-second period, making for clean conditions. The energy is down a bit (431), but it's a solid surfable wave. The swell drops off after that, and the winds turn nasty again. There’s a long gap of poor, choppy, and cross-onshore conditions from the 10th all the way through the 12th.
There’s a bit of a pulse on Sunday, 13th September, with a 5ft SSW groundswell and a 13-second period, giving us strong energy (1114), but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s only marginal. The following week looks pretty average, with a lot of onshore wind and poor surf quality. There’s a big spike in energy on the 17th and 18th of September, with a 10ft SW swell, but the wind is a nightmare, gusting at 28 mph, making it completely unsurfable. That’s a solid pass for the paddle surfer.
So, the standout is clearly Monday, 7th September, with the offshore wind and clean 3ft reef waves. Tuesday morning is also a good call if you want glassy conditions. After that, it’s mostly a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Thu morning, strong winds from the SE by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 395 | 1624 | 1530 | 928 | 910 | 494 | 365 | 336 | 1051 | 1740 | 981 | 631 | 347 | 536 | 333 | 260 | 80 | 102 | 171 | 98 | 114 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | on |
High Tide | 7:09PM1.29m | 7:54AM1.09m | 8:29PM1.16m | 9:45AM1.04m | 10:28PM1.13m | 11:38AM1.12m | 00:04AM1.21m | 12:47PM1.28m | 1:06AM1.34m | 1:36PM1.44m | 1:53AM1.45m | 2:16PM1.58m | 2:33AM1.53m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:45PM0.40m | 1:37AM0.43m | 1:54PM0.54m | 3:13AM0.52m | 3:57PM0.60m | 5:15AM0.49m | 5:55PM0.51m | 6:33AM0.36m | 7:03PM0.36m | 7:24AM0.23m | 7:51PM0.21m | 8:05AM0.12m | 8:32PM0.09m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — |
 | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — |
mm | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 10 | 19 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 13 | S 10 | SSW 10 | SW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 155 | 118 | 67 | 4 | 15 | 56 | 78 | 128 | 1051 | 1740 | 981 | 631 | 347 | 536 | 333 | 260 | 77 | 102 | 171 | 98 | 114 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | — | — | S 15 | SSW 14 | SW 11 | SW 10 | WSW 9 | SSW 9 | — | S 12 | SE 6 | SW 14 | SSE 12 | SW 18 | SW 16 | S 10 | SW 11 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 |
| kJ | 256 | — | — | 4 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 34 | — | 3 | 34 | 248 | 30 | 12 | 42 | 68 | 57 | 21 | 12 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 13 | — | SW 26 | SSW 12 | — | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 6 | SSE 13 | SSE 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | S 9 | W 11 | ESE 11 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 57 | — | 26 | 15 | — | 3 | 9 | 16 | 31 | 43 | 129 | 80 | 25 | 9 | 11 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | — | WNW 4 | — | — | SSE 2 | SE 4 | — | SSW 3 | — |
| kJ | 395 | 1624 | 1530 | 928 | 910 | 494 | 365 | 336 | 320 | 132 | 139 | 278 | — | 11 | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 980 | 1444 | 1311 | 254 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Nine Mile Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Nine Mile Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Nine Mile Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Nine Mile Reef 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 (Nine Mile Reef) 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 Nine Mile Reef 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.
Nine Mile Reef is 19 km (12 miles) from the very large city of Bellville. If you plan a holiday in Cape Town, look for hotels and other accommodation in Bellville. Bellville has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as cheap car hire and transport links.
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