Noordhoek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming our way over the next couple of weeks. We’re talking about one spot, and it’s going to be a mixed bag of raw power, clean gems, and some proper wild days.

Right off the bat, the ocean is absolutely *pumping* with energy. We’re looking at a serious southwest groundswell pushing through, with the combined swell energy hitting a massive 6201 (strong to very strong). That's a lot of water moving around. The water itself is sitting at 60°F, which is a whopping 6°F colder than what’s normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit and booties, no question.

Thursday (August 20th) kicks things off, but don’t get too excited. The morning has a solid 13 ft SW swell, period 14 seconds, but it’s being blown around by a 12 mph WSW wind. It’s clean-looking on paper but the conditions are marginal, with a cross-off wind that'll make it tricky. The afternoon gets a bit more cross-shore, still 13 ft, but the score is low for us.

Friday (August 21st) morning is where the first real highlight sits. The swell drops to 8 ft from the SW, period 12 seconds, but the magic is in the wind: glassy, from the NE at only 3 mph. That is pristine, clean surf for the experienced surfer. The combined energy is still a meaty 1742 (strong). This is the window to get on it before the wind flips cross-on in the afternoon and ruins it.

Saturday and Sunday are a washout for good conditions – strong winds, big lumpy swell, and poor scores. Saturday morning has a 7 ft SSW swell but a 28 mph WSW cross-off is just too wild.

Then we get a nice little run. Sunday (August 23rd) morning is another cracker: 8 ft SW, 11 seconds, with a gentle 9 mph WSW cross-off wind. Clean, solid, and for experienced surfers only. Monday and Tuesday look messy with cross-shore winds and chop, but the swell stays around 7 ft.

Wednesday (August 26th) afternoon is a sleeper. The swell drops back to 6 ft from the SW, but a light 6 mph NNE cross-off wind makes for buttery, clean waves. Excellent for the experienced crew.

The surf tapers off hard towards the end of August and the first of September. Thursday the 27th sees the swell drop to 4 ft, and energy fades to 719 (moderate). By Friday the 28th, we’re down to 2 ft and 116 energy (weak). There’s a bit of a lull here for a few days, with only small, poor-condition waves on offer.

Now, here’s the long-range promise. Wednesday (September 2nd) morning looks like a proper standout again. A 7 ft SW groundswell, period 15 seconds, with a light 6 mph WSW cross-off wind. That’s a very long period, so expect big, powerful lines that will be more groomed at Noordhoek’s reef setup. The energy is strong at 2093. Excellent for the experienced. And then Thursday (September 3rd) morning sees a beast of a 13 ft SW swell, 14 seconds, with a slight 3 mph ESE offshore wind. That’s huge, but the conditions are rated marginal, so it will be a battle for experts only. The energy reading is 5503.

Friday (September 4th) morning rounds it out nicely: 8 ft SW, 12 seconds, with a glassy 6 mph WSW light breeze. Clean, solid, and for the experienced.

To sum it up for Noordhoek: the standout sessions are Friday August 21st morning and Wednesday September 2nd morning. Both offer clean, powerful SW swell with light, favorable winds. The intermediate crew should keep an eye on the smaller, cleaner windows like Wednesday August 26th afternoon. The first week is full of action, the end of August has a flat spell, and the second week brings back the big, clean swell. Expect crowds when it’s good – this spot gets busy when the waves are on.

Rusty.

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