Richards Bay (Inside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Richards Bay (Inside).

First thing to note, the water temp is sitting at 72°F - that’s right about average for this time of year, so no surprises there when you get in.

The next week and a bit is a bit of a write-off, to be honest. There’s a long stretch from now until the end of July where the conditions are just not playing ball. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, often moderate to fresh, and the surf quality is poor. The swell is there, but it’s messy. You’ll see a pulse of 6ft on Monday the 20th, but it’s from the SE with a 13-second period and cross-onshore wind – choppy and not worth the paddle. The combined energy is moderate (1034), but the wind kills it.

We do get a brief window on Tuesday morning the 21st. It’s clean with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE, and the swell is 5ft from the SE, period 12 seconds. The energy is moderate (648). This is the best looking session in the first week, but it’s short-lived. By the afternoon the wind swings and picks up, and it’s back to poor conditions.

The run of poor conditions continues through until the start of August. There’s a few days with clean, cross-off winds, but the swell drops right off – 2ft on the morning of Sunday the 26th, and even smaller. The energy is weak (340). Not enough to get excited about.

Now, the standout. It’s a long way off, but Sunday morning the 2nd of August is looking like the real deal. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the NNE, making for clean conditions. The swell is 7ft from the east, with a 10-second period. The combined energy is strong (926). This is the best wave energy on offer in the whole forecast, and the wind is right. It’s a solid intermediate swell, but at 7ft, it’s not for beginners. The direction is east, which is not the optimum S, but the energy and clean conditions make this the pick of the fortnight. Keep an eye on it, but it’s a long-range call so don’t book the week off just yet.

Before that, on Wednesday morning the 29th of July, there’s a promising but marginal call. The swell is 4ft from the south, with a very long 15-second period, and clean cross-off wind. The energy is strong (1127). The long period means it’ll be a proper groundswell, which at a sandbar setup like this can be a bit straight and tricky, but it’s worth a look if you’re keen.

So, bottom line: this is a quiet period for Richards Bay. The first week is mostly a no-go, with that one clean Tuesday morning on the 21st as the only real short window. The best bet is the Sunday morning on the 2nd of August, but it’s a long way out. The forecasts can change, but for now, keep your board waxed and wait for that clean easterly swell.

Rusty.

Read more