Surf Forecasts:
Oyster Bay surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 5,469 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Oyster Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Oyster Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Oyster Bay in the next 16 days are 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) 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 2.5m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Oyster Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk about Oyster Bay. It’s an exposed sandbar setup, and this forecast is a real rollercoaster. We’ve got a solid run of swell on the way, but the wind and the size are gonna make it a tricky one for most of the time. You need to pick your moments.
The first real action kicks off on Wednesday the 19th of August. There’s a big, powerful 10-foot SW swell (2525 combined energy) rolling in with a 13-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy. But the wind is a cross-onshore, and honestly, at 10 feet this break starts to get too big for the average punter. Morning is your best bet that day, but only if you’re an experienced surfer on a big board and know the sandbars.
Things get even more out of control on Thursday the 20th. The swell pushes up to 13 feet (5482 combined energy) Thursday morning, and it’s just too much raw power for this spot. The wind stays cross-onshore, so it’s a messy, blown-out beast. Not one to paddle out in.
We finally get a window of manageable surf on Friday the 21st. The swell drops to a much friendlier 8-foot SW (1644 combined energy) in the morning with a clean 12-second period. The wind goes cross-offshore from the ENE, which is a big tick. It’s clean. The score is only marginal though, meaning the conditions are only just there. It’s a solid option for an intermediate surfer after that big swell, but it’s not a standout.
Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are a write-off. The wind gets nasty, with a strong breeze on Saturday and then a big 12-foot swell on Sunday that’s still too big with a cross-on wind. Forget it.
Then, a real highlight pops up. On Tuesday the 25th of August, we get a morning with *glassy* conditions. Dead calm, 0 mph wind. The swell is a solid 10-foot from the SW with a 13-second period (2701 combined energy). That glass is a major positive – perfect, clean lines. The catch is that for most, 10 feet is still expert-only territory. It’s a good call for the charger, but the average surfer should stay on the beach and watch.
The best window for the experienced surfer comes right after. Wednesday the 26th of August is the standout of this entire 16-day period. We get clean, 7-foot SW swell (1491 combined energy) with a 13-second period in the morning, and the wind is pure offshore from the NNE. It’s described as excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The afternoon stays clean with the wind dropping to a slight air. This is the session to circle on your calendar. Perfect conditions, but it’s for the crew who can handle that size.
After that, the swell fades. Thursday the 27th is a write-off with cross-on wind and a messy 3-foot swell. Friday the 28th has a glassy 4-foot S swell (754 combined energy) in the morning. That’s a small, clean day for the log or a fun mid-length. It’s a decent, gentle option, but nothing to get excited about.
The second week sees the surf get chaotic again. A huge wind storm hits around the 30th and 31st of August with near gale-force winds and a big, messy 12-foot swell. That’s a total write-off, and frankly, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. There’s a brief blast of strong swell on the 3rd of September, but it’s 18 feet (12006 combined energy) – that’s monster, expert-only stuff and way too big for Oyster Bay.
Water temperature is pretty average for the time of year, nothing unusual.
So, to wrap it up: the best on offer is Wednesday the 26th of August for the experts. For the rest of us, Friday the 21st and Tuesday the 25th (for glass) are the only windows that might offer a paddle. The rest of the forecast is mostly too big, too windy, or both. Pick your days carefully.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the WSW by Wed night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri night, min 14°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Sat morning, calm by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 14 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
3165 | 2497 | 2257 | 1381 | 5469 | 4596 | 2589 | 1638 | 1213 | 553 | 604 | 1696 | 2555 | 3415 | 3116 | 1760 | 1147 | 472 | 1731 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:10AM1.18m | 7:31PM1.23m | 7:47AM1.05m | 8:18PM1.08m | 9:12AM0.92m | 10:37PM0.99m | 12:36PM0.95m | 00:51AM1.06m | 1:39PM1.09m | 1:43AM1.19m | 2:14PM1.23m | 2:17AM1.31m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:12AM0.44m | 1:09PM0.47m | 1:49AM0.57m | 1:47PM0.62m | 2:55AM0.69m | 3:11PM0.74m | 5:56AM0.71m | 6:33PM0.73m | 7:26AM0.59m | 7:40PM0.61m | 8:03AM0.45m | 8:15PM0.48m | |||||||
— | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
5:52 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | E 8 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 12 |
3165 | 2497 | 2257 | 1381 | 5469 | 4596 | 2589 | 1638 | 1213 | 553 | 604 | 20 | 2555 | 3415 | 3116 | 1760 | 1147 | 556 | 1731 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | — | WSW 11 | E 7 | — | E 8 | — | — | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 11 | E 10 |
46 | 28 | 27 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 6 | — | 403 | 23 | — | 5 | — | — | 334 | 242 | 408 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 14 | E 10 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 472 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | ESE 4 | ENE 5 | WSW 7 | SW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 258 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 42 | 483 | 1696 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 64 | 1 | 132 | 22 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 47 | 189 | 1 | 133 | 133 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 19 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Oyster Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Oyster Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Oyster Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Oyster Bay 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 (Oyster Bay) 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 Oyster Bay 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.
Oyster Bay is 24 km (15 miles) from the city of Kruisfontein. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Kruisfontein. Kruisfontein has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











