Riet River Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.58° S 26.93° E

Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 12 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Riet River sea temperature is
17.2° C
2.7° 

Riet River surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Riet River surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 16 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with 2,887 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Riet River this week:

The surf forecast for Riet River over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 13) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Riet River in the next 16 days are 3.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Mon 13th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 10s
Best Surf 2PM (Thu 16th Jul)6.5ft (2.0m) 14s
Most Powerful 8AM (Fri 17th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Riet River over the next 16 days.


Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Riet River's got cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the outlook is a bit of a slow starter. The first few days are a write-off, nothing worth paddling out for. You've got a little pulse on Sunday the 12th but it's messy with a strong onshore wind, so don't even bother. Then Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th are flat and weak. This is a stretch of pretty ordinary surf, so save your energy.

Things start to get interesting towards the end of the week. The real standout window I'm looking at kicks off on Thursday, July 16th. The afternoon there is a beauty. The swell is a solid 6ft from the SSW, with a period of 13 seconds, giving it some real push. The energy is strong (1312). But the best part? The wind goes glassy, dead calm. That's going to be clean, lined-up waves. It's a bit on the bigger side, so you'll want to be comfortable in the water, but for experienced surfers, this is the one to circle.

Now, that Thursday window is just a taste. The real big dog shows up on Saturday, July 25th and Monday, July 27th. The 25th has an 8ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, clean cross-offshore winds, and the energy is pumping (3345). The 27th morning is even bigger, with a 10ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and a clean offshore wind. The energy is massive (4819). This is serious, expert-level groundswell. The waves will have a ton of power but will be clean. Keep in mind, with that long period, Riet River as a point break should handle it beautifully, but it's not for the faint of heart.

Also, on Thursday, July 23rd, the morning session is looking prime with a 7ft SSW swell, 14-second period, and a moderate offshore wind. The energy is still strong (1667), and it's a great option for experienced surfers looking for a less crowded, still powerful session.

If you're a beginner, steer clear of the bigger days (anything over 5ft, and especially the 8ft+ stuff). The weak energy days (like the 15th) are no good either. The window around the 16th afternoon is your best bet for something manageable if you're pushing your limits, but it's still a solid 6ft.

Riet River is a point break, so it's inconsistent, and it doesn't break all the time. When it's on, it's on. The crowds can be a problem sometimes, so get out there early, especially on the good days.

Alright, get your boards ready for that Thursday the 16th. The second week looks promising too, but it's a long way out, so keep an eye on the forecasts. Stay stoked.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 20°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Sun night, calm by Tue night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 15°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu afternoon, strong winds from the WSW by Fri morning).

Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
2
2
2
1
0
1
1
0
3
3
4
3
2
2
4
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SSW
12
1.5
SSW
11
1.3
SSW
11
1.1
SSW
11
1
S
10
1.2
ESE
9
0.7
SSW
10
0.6
SSW
10
0.6
SSW
10
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
12
1.6
SW
11
2
SSW
14
1.9
SW
13
1.6
SW
13
3
SSW
13
3
SSW
12
2.4
SSW
11
2
SSW
11
1.1
SW
11
1.5
S
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
741
544
415
292
221
202
100
67
63
32
29
548
1621
1308
816
2731
2277
1316
875
286
775
Wind (km/h)
20
E
30
E
30
E
5
ENE
10
E
10
WNW
5
WNW
10
S
10
W
10
WSW
20
SW
10
WNW
10
NNE
5
ESE
20
W
40
WSW
35
SSW
5
SSE
30
ENE
40
ENE
35
NE
Wind State
on
on
on
on
on
cross-off
off
cross
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
glassy
off
off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
2:21PM1.33m
2:38AM1.51m
3:12PM1.46m
3:27AM1.58m
3:58PM1.56m
4:12AM1.61m
4:41PM1.63m
4:53AM1.59m
5:22PM1.66m
5:32AM1.54m
6:01PM1.63m
6:10AM1.45m
6:40PM1.56m
Low Tide
8:09AM0.25m
8:22PM0.28m
9:00AM0.14m
9:16PM0.18m
9:44AM0.06m
10:04PM0.12m
10:26AM0.01m
10:49PM0.10m
11:04AM-0.00m
11:31PM0.12m
11:41AM0.03m
00:11AM0.18m
12:17PM0.10m
00:51AM0.27m
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:15
7:15
7:15
7:13
7:13
7:13
7:13
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:20
5:20
5:21
5:21
5:22
5:22
5:22
 mm
2
1
1
3
Temp °C
17
17
16
17
18
17
19
20
17
17
18
16
18
21
18
18
16
16
15
16
15
Feels °C
14
13
10
16
17
17
18
19
17
15
15
14
17
20
16
11
10
13
11
8
6
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Riet River Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Riet River provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Riet River can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Riet River surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Riet River) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Riet River may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Are you planning a holiday in Eastern Cape (South)? If you are looking for accommodation near Riet River, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eastern Cape (South), consider staying in Port Alfred which is 5 km (3 miles) away. Other places in and around Eastern Cape (South) where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Grahamstown which is 48 km (30 miles) away, Bisho and Fort Beaufort.

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