Noordhoek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve had a good look at the charts for our local stretch. The next couple of weeks are looking bumpy but with a couple of glassy windows that could be magic. The water is sitting at 59°F right now, which is a solid 7°F colder than normal for this time of year – that’s a seriously chilly anomaly, so you’ll want a thick suit and booties.

We’re starting off with a bit of a wait. The first real action is Tuesday the 18th, but it’s a bit of a messy offering. Tuesday morning brings a 7ft SW swell at 13 seconds, but with a 25 km/h cross-off breeze from the WSW, the wave energy is massive at 1657 but it’s described as marginal. The afternoon cleans up a touch with a 8ft SW swell but the wind swings cross-shore, and the energy jumps to 2429 – still, it’s not the cleanest.

The standout of the entire run is Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. We’ve got a solid 10ft SW swell at 13 seconds, and the wind is absolutely glass – a light 5 km/h offshore from the NW. The combined energy is pumping at 2381, and it’s tagged as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a big, powerful groundswell with a 13-second period, so it’s going to be a proper wave out at Noordhoek reef. The water is still freezing, but the conditions will be a dream. The crowd might be around, so keep an eye out.

The rest of the week is a bit of a mixed bag. Wednesday afternoon turns nasty with a 40 km/h cross-off wind that whips up a 10ft swell, but it’s a strong breeze and messy. Thursday the 20th offers a big 13ft SW swell at 13 seconds in the morning with a 20 km/h cross-off, but it’s still marginal. The energy is massive at 5697, but it’s a tough one to call. Friday the 21st drops off a bit, with a 8ft SW swell and a 15 km/h cross-shore breeze, but the afternoon is a write-off with a 0-score.

The weekend gets wild. Saturday the 22nd has a 55 km/h cross-off in the afternoon pushing a 18ft SW swell – the energy is a huge 7561, but the wind is a near gale, making it only for the truly unhinged and likely more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Sunday the 23rd keeps the size with a 13ft SW swell in the morning, but the wind is still cross-off at 25 km/h.

The next real glimmer is Tuesday the 25th of August. Another morning of glassy conditions – a 5 km/h S wind with a 10ft SW swell at 12 seconds. The wave energy is 2597, and it’s tagged as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a solid, clean swell, but it’s a touch smaller than the 19th. It’s a good second option.

The rest of the forecast rolls into the first week of September with a few more promising windows. Wednesday the 2nd of September morning has a clean 12ft SW swell at 15 seconds with a light 10 km/h cross-shore from the ENE, and the energy is huge at 4957. It’s a long-period groundswell (15 seconds), so it’ll be lined up and powerful, but that long period can make it break a bit straight at beach breaks – it’s a reef, so it should handle it well. It’s a promising option but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on the charts.

Overall, the two true standouts are Wednesday the 19th of August morning and Tuesday the 25th of August morning. The 19th is the pick of the run – glassy, 10ft, and SW groundswell.

Rusty.

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