Onrus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what Onrus (South Africa) has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a real mixed bag coming, with some absolute gems hidden in there, but we’ll have to be patient through a rough patch.

The window kicks off on Tuesday the 1st with some serious size. Tuesday morning you’re looking at a solid 8.2ft swell out of the SW, with a long 13-second period pushing a whole lot of energy onto the reef (combined energy of 2340). The wind is a light cross-offshore, keeping things clean. This is big, powerful stuff – definitely one for the experienced crew only, as the swell is over 8.2ft. Tuesday afternoon bumps up even more to 9.8ft (combined energy of 3257), with a slight wind shift, but it’s still cross-off. Again, experts only.

Wednesday the 2nd holds that same 9.8ft SW swell in the morning (combined energy of 2802), but the wind swings onshore from the SSE. It’s a light cross-on, so it’s not trashed, but that size with the wind putting a bit of texture on it means it’s still big and a bit lumpy. The afternoon drops to 8.2ft, but the onshore wind picks up and the forecast gets marginal.

Then we hit a long, windy dry spell. From Thursday the 3rd right through to Saturday the 5th, strong onshore winds (up to 28 mph) and messy, blown-out conditions ruin the fun. The swell drops and gets short-period. It’s a write-off for a paddle surfer. With that much wind and swell, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday the 6th is still rubbish with strong cross-onshore winds, even though the swell gets a very long 18-to-19-second period from the SSW. That long period will make it break too straight on the reef, and with the wind, it’s a washout.

Now, here’s your standout. Monday the 7th. The magic happens in the morning. Glassy conditions – dead calm, with a clean 5.2ft SW groundswell at 13 seconds (combined energy of 1125). The wind is a perfect glass-off from the NE (0 mph). This is your session. It’s clean, it’s got push, and the reef will be working beautifully. It’s in the 5ft to 8ft range, so it’s still fairly solid for intermediates. Expect some crowd.

The rest of the first week is a letdown. Tuesday the 8th offers clean, smaller waves around 2.6ft to 3.3ft with cross-off winds, surfable but not a standout. Wednesday the 9th is back to poor conditions with onshore wind.

Then we get another promising window. On Thursday the 10th, it’s glassy again in the morning with a 6.2ft SW groundswell at a very long 15 seconds (combined energy of 1553). This is another excellent call for experienced surfers. The long period means that reef will handle it well, with nice lines. Friday the 11th morning is also clean with cross-off winds and a 6.2ft WSW swell (combined energy of 1232). These two mornings are your second-week highlights, though remember the long-range call is a bit less certain.

From Saturday the 12th onwards, things get messy again with onshore winds and lumpy conditions through the middle of the week. Wednesday the 16th shows a glimmer of hope with clean, cross-off winds and a 4.9ft SSW swell (combined energy of 735), which is decent but nothing compared to the 7th, 10th, and 11th.

So, for my money, the absolute best on offer is Monday the 7th morning – glassy, clean, and a solid swell. Right behind it are the glassy mornings of Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th.

Stay stoked, get on it when you can.

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