Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about what’s cookin’ for Fence (Port Elizabeth).

Look, the first week and a half is a real struggle. The wind’s all over the place, mostly onshore or cross, and when it ain’t that, it’s blowin’ a gale. The water temp is 60°, which is a full 6° colder than usual for this time of year. That’s a serious chill, so you’re gonna want a thick wetsuit and booties if you’re even thinkin’ about paddlin’ out.

Monday, August 10th, we got rain and a stiff cross breeze out of the S at 15 mph, pushin’ a 4 ft swell from the SW. The energy’s moderate at 773, but the conditions are just plain bad. It’s a skip. This pattern of onshore wind, lumpy chop, and poor surf sticks with us all the way through Friday, August 14th. Even when the swell hits 7 ft on Wednesday, it’s wind-whipped and messy. Not worth the hassle.

Saturday, August 15th, shows a tiny crack in the door – a 5 ft E swell with a gentle cross breeze from the N at 9 mph. Still, it’s only marginal. The energy’s weak at 423. You might scratch out a fun one if the tide plays nice, but don’t bank on it.

Then, finally, on Sunday, August 16th, the afternoon brings a 5 ft E swell with a light cross-offshore breeze from the WSW at 9 mph. The energy is moderate at 541, and the report says “clean” for the first time in days. This is the first real glimmer – not big, but it’ll be smooth and ridable.

Monday the 17th keeps that cleaner theme goin’ in the morning with a 4 ft E swell and a 18 mph WSW cross-off. It’s a little breezy, but still clean. Energy’s solid at 732. Not a standout, but a decent session.

The real gem is Tuesday, August 18th. The morning session is the best of the whole forecast. We got a 4 ft SW groundswell with a long 14-second period – that's real energy, 722, and the wind is dead calm, glassy, from the N at 3 mph. This is the one to mark on your calendar. Clean, glassy waves at a consistent spot like The Fence. The swell direction from the SW ain’t exactly its best from the SE, but with that glassy wind, it’ll still run nicely.

After that, it’s back downhill. Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th are rain and onshore wind again. Friday the 21st the swell jumps to a heavy 12 ft from the ESE, but it’s blowin’ 28 mph onshore. That’s a choppy, expert-only mess.

Then, on Saturday, August 22nd, we get another window. The morning brings clean 6 ft SE swell with a light cross-offshore WSW breeze at 6 mph. Energy is moderate at 702. It’s clean and has some punch. The afternoon gets a bit windier but still rideable.

The last call is Monday, August 24th, with a long period 5 ft SSW groundswell at 15 seconds. The energy is strong at 1298, but the wind is a light cross-on from the ENE. Wave quality is only marginal, but that long period could wrap in nice for a more skilled surfer.

Bottom line: Tuesday the 18th is your absolute winner – glassy, clean, with a proper groundswell. Saturday the 22nd morning is a solid backup.

Rusty.

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