Rock Wave surfForecast / Eastern Cape – Wild Coast / South Africa

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 7 pm Tuesday 16 Sep 2025 SAST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Rock Wave surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Rock Wave sea temperature is
17.7° C
(Which is 2.0°C colder than average for this time of year)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rock Wave this week:

The surf forecast for Rock Wave over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 17) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Rock Wave in the next 12 days are 4.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 16) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 9s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 20) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Wed 17th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 13s
Best Surf 8PM (Wed 17th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 13s
Most Powerful11PM (Tue 16th Sep)15ft (4.5m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rock Wave over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 14°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Tue night, calm by Wed night).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Some drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 18°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun night).

Wednesday
17
Thursday
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tue
23
NightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPM
Rating
(10 max)
6
2
2
4
2
1
4
2
0
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
0
2
0
2
1
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
4
SSW
2.5
S
2.5
S
2.5
S
2.2
S
2.3
S
2.1
S
1.9
S
1.8
S
1.6
S
2.2
E
2.5
E
2
E
1.4
E
1.2
E
1
S
1.2
E
1.9
E
1.2
E
2.5
SW
2.5
SSW
Period(s) (?)131213131212131212138999911968119
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)5187192825212253148615721385103987286265911066643252392422303021821403982
Wind
(km/h)
30
W
20
SW
20
SSW
5
WNW
10
S
15
SSW
5
W
15
ESE
25
ENE
30
NE
25
NE
25
ENE
25
WSW
20
SSW
15
SSW
10
NE
25
ENE
5
SSW
35
WSW
20
SSW
25
SSW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
off
crosscross-
on
glasscross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
off
cross-
on
cross-
on
crosscrosscrosscross-
off
crosscrosscrosscrossglasscross-
off
crosscross
High Tide
/ height (m)
12:56AM
1.11
1:33PM
1.21
1:49AM
1.25
2:13PM
1.38
2:25AM
1.37
2:45PM
1.52
2:56AM
1.47
3:13PM
1.62
3:23AM
1.54
3:39PM
1.68
3:50AM
1.58
4:04PM
1.71
4:15AM
1.58
4:28PM
1.70
Low Tide
/ height (m)
7:18AM
0.50
7:48PM
0.47
8:01AM
0.35
8:26PM
0.33
8:33AM
0.23
8:56PM
0.21
9:00AM
0.13
9:23PM
0.13
9:26AM
0.07
9:48PM
0.08
9:51AM
0.04
10:12PM
0.06
10:15AM
0.04
Wednesday
17
Thursday
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tue
23
Sunrise-6:03--6:03--6:01--6:00--5:58--5:58--5:56-
Sunset--6:00--6:00--6:00--6:01--6:01--6:02--6:04
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
Rain (mm)
---------1-----------
Temp. °C161919161819171919192323222322192426162020
Feels °C (?)8131315151615161615212120191920212781516
  • 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

Eyeball surf reportRecent Eyeball Surf Reports for Eastern Cape - Wild Coast

  1. weather stationWind Update The wind is still cross-off at Rock Wave (fresh winds from the W at East London Airport 32 km from Rock Wave). A 7.1m groundswell from the SSW is too big for here

    Rock Wave
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32 km away, 2 h 14 min ago

31 km/h
W
0.0
17.7
Air / Water (°C)
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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 Rock Wave 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 Rock Wave Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Rock Wave provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Rock Wave can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rock Wave 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 (Rock Wave) 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 Rock Wave 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 - Wild Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Rock Wave, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast, consider staying in East London which is 25 km (16 miles) away. Other places in and around Eastern Cape - Wild Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Butterworth which is 60 km (37 miles) away, Stutterheim and Bisho.

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