Richards Bay (Inside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Yo, what’s up surfers? Rusty here, looking at the next sixteen days for our local sandbars at Richards Bay (Inside), and it’s a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. The surf is pretty inconsistent, with long gaps of grovelly conditions and messy winds, especially through the end of July. But hang tight, because there are a few solid windows that stand out, mostly for the more experienced crew.

Right now, the first decent option doesn’t pop up until Thursday morning, July 23rd. We’re looking at clean surf with a small 3ft swell from the SE, and a gentle cross-offshore breeze. The combined swell energy is moderate at 308, so it’s pretty weak overall. You’ll be on a shortboard or a fish for this, but the clean conditions make it a nice warm-up. The wind is light, so the lineup should be glassy and easy to manage, but expect some locals around since the crowd factor can be “sometimes.”

Then things go a bit wild. Friday, July 24th, brings a big pulse of swell – 12ft from the S, but the wind is cranking from the SSW at 25 mph, making for a messy, lumpy cross-chop. The combined energy is a hefty 2280, showing there’s power, but it’s blown out. This is more of a kite-surfing day than paddle surfing, unless you can handle heavy, onshore junk.

The real standout? Mark your calendars for Friday morning, July 31st. That’s the best bet of the whole outlook. We’ve got a clean 8ft swell (ESE), period of 9 seconds, and glassy conditions with barely a breath of wind. The combined energy is a strong 2299, so there’s proper punch. This is expert territory – over 8ft is too big for beginners – but for experienced surfers, it’s excellent. The water temp is about 71°F, right on the mark for this time of year.

After that, into early August, there’s a few more clean mornings with chest-to-head high swell (4-5ft) from the E, but the wind can be a fickle cross or cross-off. The best of those might be Monday morning, August 3rd, with 4ft from the E and glassy conditions, though the combined energy (449) is moderate. Great for a fun session without the huge crowd pressure if you time it right.

So, overall, patience is the name of the game. There are a few good mornings, but that Friday July 31st window is the one to aim for if you want something really memorable.

Rusty.

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