Richards Bay (Inside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’m looking at the run-up for Richards Bay (Inside). Let’s be straight with you: this 16-day window is a tough one. There’s a real drought of quality waves, with long stretches of nothing worth paddling out for. Most days are plagued by messy wind, lumpy conditions, or just flat spells. Don’t get your hopes up for a classic session, but there are a couple of windows where the conditions might just line up.

Let’s start with the first real chance, which is Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. The water is sitting at 71°F and that’s bang on average for this time of year – nothing unusual there. We’ve got a small 3 ft swell coming from the ESE with a short 8-second period, and combined energy is a weak 183. Honestly, it’s not going to blow you away, but the wind is a light NE cross-off at 6 mph, and that keeps the surface clean. It’s surfable but very ordinary. If you’re desperate for a paddle, this is your only real nod in the first week.

Then we hit a big gap. From Wednesday afternoon on the 19th right through to the end of the first week, it’s mostly poor. Thursday the 20th sees a 8 ft S swell but the wind is a strong 25 mph SSW cross – that’s messy cross-chop, no good for anyone. Friday the 21st morning has a slightly better 5 ft S swell with a 14-second period and light NE cross breeze, but it’s still marginal. Combined energy is moderate at 1017, but the quality just isn’t there.

The next standout, and I’m being careful here, is Friday morning the 21st of August. The swell is 5 ft from the S with a long 14-second period, and combined energy is a solid 1017 – that’s moderate and punchy. The wind is light NE at 6 mph, making it cross-shore with only small ripples. It’s still a marginal call, but if you’re an intermediate surfer, this is the best of a bad bunch. The S direction is close to the optimum, and the longer period means better shaped waves, though sets will be spaced out. Just be aware, the break is a sandbar and can be inconsistent, but it’s consistent enough to hold some hope.

Beyond that, the second week is a real desert. Saturday the 22nd has a 2 ft S swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is a near gale 31 mph from the SSW by afternoon – that’s a write-off. Sunday the 23rd morning has a 7 ft S swell with a 9-second period, but moderate cross-shore wind spoils it. The rest of the days through to the 3rd of September are all poor or marginal, with small swells, cross-onshore winds, or very weak energy readings. The 31st of August morning has a tiny 0.7 ft S swell with an 18-second period – that’s barely a ripple and combined energy is a weak 42.

To be honest, if you’re looking for a standout, it’s the Friday morning of the 21st of August. The swell is 5 ft from the S, direction is good, the wind is light and cross-off, and the longer period (14 seconds) gives it some punch. But it’s still marginal. Crowds are possible here, so you might have some company. For the rest, it’s mostly a blank run – and given the consistency of the break, this is a pretty normal stretch for Richards Bay.

Rusty.

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