Richards Bay (Inside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, checking in from the KwaZulu-Natal coast. Let's get into it.

We are looking at a pretty messy week ahead for Richards Bay (Inside). A surge of southerly swell is about to hit with some real angry energy, but the winds are going to ruin it for most of the coming days. That means we have to wait for the proper clean-up.

Right now, over Sunday morning the water temp is sitting at 71°, which is pretty much bang-on average for this time of year, so that's a nice welcome. The swell is minimal and winds are a light cross-off from the NNE, creating surfable but very ordinary conditions with a combined swell energy of 164 – pretty weak.

Sunday afternoon will glass off slightly on the surface, but the size stays tiny at 2 ft with a very long 16-second period, so we are looking at infrequent sets.

It all goes downhill rapidly from Monday. A big, raw 13 ft swell hits on Monday morning with a strong, ugly cross-shore wind from the SSW swinging south. The wave comment says poor surf conditions, which matches. The combined energy on Monday morning is a whopping 2698, just pure messy power. That stays looking horrible for Tuesday and Wednesday with more onshore wind. This is definitely a session for the kite crew, not the paddle crew.

There's a small window on Thursday, 13th August morning when the swell drops back to 7 ft and the wind turns cross-shore from the SW. The combined energy is still a moderate 896, but conditions are labelled as marginal due to tide or question marks. Still, one to keep an eye on if you're desperate because it's the only semi-rideable period in a long stretch of grotty weather. That period of poor surf then drags on through until about Wednesday the 20th.

Now, the real standout for the whole 16-day window is Saturday the 22nd of August. We’ve got a solid 5 ft groundswell from the south. The period is a beautiful 15 seconds, and it’s coming in clean thanks to a light cross-off wind from the NNE. Combined swell energy is a solid 1175. This is the session. Expect very good surf conditions. A long period S-Swell is usually best for reefs and points, but if the banks at Richards Bay hold, this is the best chance for some clean, properly shaped waves. It will be a bit long between sets, but worth it.

Sunday the 23rd still has some size at 8 ft from the S with a moderate cross-shore, but that is starting to push into expert-only territory and the wind is not as tidy, so the Saturday window is the one to circle on the calendar.

All in all, a lot of average-to-rubbish to work through for some gold at the end of the run. Stay patient.

- Rusty

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