Richards Bay (Inside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks at Richards Bay (Inside) are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak surf and ordinary conditions ahead, but there’s a raw, powerful pulse of swell coming through mid-period that’s going to be way too much for this spot. So, let’s break it down day by day.

Right now, and for the next few days, it’s flat and messy. Wednesday the 5th has a weak 3ft ESE swell with a short 9-second period, and the morning cross-off breeze is about the only saving grace. The water’s sitting at 71°, which is about normal for this time of year. The energy is weak (205), and it’s just not worth suiting up. This same pattern of small, short-period slop and ordinary winds sticks around through the 9th. There’s a little pulse of long-period SSW swell on the 6th and 8th, but it’s tiny—1ft—and the period is so long it’s just going to close out. We’re looking at a gap of several days with zero recommendations here.

Then things get properly wild. From Monday the 10th, a big swell hits. We’re talking 13ft of SSE swell with a 10-11 second period, and the energy numbers jump into the thousands (3032–3911). But the wind is howling from the south at 25-28 mph, making it a strong cross-onshore mess. This is not surfable; it’s a washing machine. This big, messy swell continues through the 12th, still too big and blown out. The swell stays above 8ft, so even if the wind eased, it’s only for experts, and with that wind, it’s not for anyone.

The 13th of August is interesting, but not for the right reasons. The wind and tide are favorable, but the forecaster notes the 10ft SE swell is simply too big for this break. It’s a sandbar, so it’s going to be a closeout freight train. The energy is strong (2313), but this is not a paddle session. Honestly, with that much swell and cross-onshore wind, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than for traditional surfing.

Things finally start to drop on the 14th, but the quality is still poor. We’ve got 7ft ESE swell, but the wind is onshore and it’s lumpy. Not good.

Now, here’s the one true window of hope. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th mornings. The swell eases to a manageable 5ft and 4ft respectively, both from the ESE with a 9-10 second period. The wind goes glassy—basically dead calm with a slight air. This is the standout. The energy is moderate (494 and 309), but the clean, glassy conditions will make it the best on offer by a long shot. The wave height is still over 5ft, so it might be a touch much for beginners, but for intermediates, this is the time to go. The morning of the 15th is your pick.

After that, it’s back to small and ordinary. The 17th and 18th have 4ft E swell but the wind picks up again, and we’re back to cross-shore chop. The 19th has a tiny 4ft SSE swell, but the period drops to a short 7 seconds, and the 20th is just flat and junky with a long-period SSW swell that’s only 1ft.

So, the long and short of it: the next week is a write-off. The surf is either too small, too messy, or too big and blown out. The only real window is the glassy mornings of Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th. That’s your chance. Get on it, because the rest of the forecast is a whole lot of nothing.

Rusty.

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