Riet River Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.58° S 26.93° E

Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 18 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Riet River sea temperature is
17.5° C
2.4° 

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 18 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 17s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 17s period, SSW swell with 6,083 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Riet River in the next 16 days are 3.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Sat 18th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 11s
Best Surf 8AM (Fri 24th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 17s
Most Powerful 8AM (Fri 24th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 17s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cookin’ at Riet River.

This is a classic setup that likes a solid SSW groundswell, and when it gets that, it can be a thing of beauty. But it’s an inconsistent joint, so you gotta wait for the right moment. The water is sitting at 64°F currently, which is 4°F colder than normal for this time of year – that’s a notable chill, so don’t be shy with the rubber.

The week starts with some small but clean fun. Saturday morning, the 18th of July, is a goer. We’ve got a 4ft S swell with a 12-second period. The energy is moderate (723), and with a light cross-offshore breeze, it’ll be clean. Not a standout, but a good way to get wet. Sunday morning, the 19th, is similar, with a 5ft SSE swell and a bit more energy (832). Still clean.

Then Monday, the 20th of July, is where it starts to get interesting. The swell jumps to 7ft from the WSW, with period dropping to 9 seconds. The energy is getting strong (1906), but that short period means it’ll be a bit sectiony and punchy—good for experienced surfers who want some power. The morning is clean with a light cross-off. That’s a solid session.

Now, the real standout is locked in for Friday, the 24th of July. This is the one you circle on the calendar. The forecast is showing an 12ft SSW groundswell with a very long 16-second period. The energy is massive (5093). The wind is due to go glassy in the morning. That’s the full package: big, clean, and powerful. But hear me now – at 12ft, this is a heavy wave, only for expert surfers. It’s a point break, so it’ll handle that long period better than a beach break, but it’s still going to be a serious session. Saturday, the 25th, will still be pumping with a 10ft SSW swell, but the wind turns cross-onshore, taking the shine off a bit.

The second week gets a bit more hit-and-miss, but there are pockets. Monday, the 27th of July, has a 6ft SSW swell, and the afternoon turns glassy – that’s a clean, fun session for the more experienced crowd. Then Wednesday, the 29th of July, morning brings a 6ft SSW swell with a 14-second period and a cross-offshore breeze. The energy is strong (2329), and it’ll be clean. That’s a solid weekday option.

After that, the wind gets rowdy. The 30th and 31st of July have offshore winds, but they’re strong, making it tough to paddle into. The first of August has a near-gale offshore, which is pretty much unsurfable. By the 2nd of August, the swell drops off and the wind is onshore and choppy. The run dries up.

So, if you’re an expert, the 24th of July is your day. The 27th of July is a great fallback for the more experienced lot. The rest is a matter of picking the clean windows in between.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sun night, calm by Mon night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds.

Sat
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
3
1
3
4
3
3
2
3
4
2
2
3
3
4
0
5
4
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SSW
10
1.8
SW
10
1.3
SSE
10
1.6
SE
10
3
SW
10
2.4
WSW
10
1.6
SW
11
1.4
SE
12
0.9
SSW
15
1.5
SSW
14
2.1
SSW
13
1.8
SSW
13
1.7
SSW
12
1.4
SW
12
1.9
SW
11
2.5
SSW
11
1.8
SW
11
3.5
SSW
16
3
SSW
16
2.5
SSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
663
573
340
441
1375
1116
600
533
390
956
1556
1083
808
587
961
1643
743
5499
4327
2585
Wind (km/h)
25
SW
15
WNW
10
WSW
25
SW
35
W
20
W
10
S
5
NW
15
ENE
15
ENE
10
WNW
25
WSW
30
SW
20
W
35
WSW
5
SE
20
NNE
20
WSW
20
SW
10
WNW
Wind State
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
6:40PM1.56m
6:47AM1.34m
7:18PM1.46m
7:25AM1.23m
7:58PM1.34m
8:07AM1.11m
8:43PM1.22m
9:04AM1.01m
9:48PM1.11m
10:42AM0.94m
11:28PM1.07m
12:38PM0.97m
00:57AM1.11m
Low Tide
00:51AM0.27m
12:52PM0.20m
1:31AM0.37m
1:28PM0.33m
2:13AM0.48m
2:08PM0.46m
3:06AM0.57m
3:01PM0.58m
4:25AM0.63m
4:30PM0.66m
6:15AM0.62m
6:27PM0.66m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
light rain
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:11
7:11
7:11
7:11
7:09
7:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:22
5:23
5:24
5:24
5:25
5:25
5:27
 mm
3
Temp °C
20
16
17
19
16
18
19
16
17
18
18
18
19
16
17
15
16
18
19
16
Feels °C
16
13
15
17
9
14
16
16
15
16
17
13
14
12
10
14
15
14
15
15
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Riet River:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Riet River surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest