Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, looking at the Fence (Port Elizabeth) for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got some solid, quality south swell on the cards, but the timing and wind are going to be everything. The water is sitting at 63°, which is a full 4° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good 4/3 and maybe some booties if you’re out for a session.

The run starts on Thursday, the 9th of July, but it’s a bit of a tease. We’ve got a serious 8ft SSW swell rolling in with a 14-second period, packing a heap of energy (3449 combined energy). The problem is the wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-off from the WSW, which will keep the surface clean enough, but the *marginal surf forecast* warning means the tide or some other factor is going to make it tricky. Not a great way to kick things off.

Friday the 10th is where it starts to get interesting. The swell holds at 8ft from the SSW, still with that long 14-second period. The morning sees a perfect 20 km/h offshore wind from the west, which will groom this wave beautifully. The combined energy is still massive (2600). This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – it’s powerful, clean, and big. Just be aware, with the swell over 8ft, this is for the crew on proper step-ups, not for beginners. The afternoon flips to a lighter 10 km/h cross-off from the SW, still clean, but the direction shifts a bit more south.

Saturday the 11th turns ugly. The wind swings onshore from the east, the swell drops a little to 8ft, and the quality falls off a cliff. The morning is a 1 out of 10, and it’s just not worth a paddle. The onshore wind and rain showers ruin the shape.

Sunday the 12th and Monday the 13th are a write-off. Strong onshore easterlies, dropping swell, and short-period junk. The combined energy drops below 1000, and the wave comment is *poor surf conditions*. You’d be better off doing anything else.

We get a glimmer on Tuesday the 14th. The morning is still small and weak (4ft ESE), but the afternoon goes glassy with a 5 km/h southerly wind. The swell is only 4ft from the ESE at 8 seconds, so it’s weak (317 combined energy), but glassy conditions mean it’s surfable and clean for a longboard or a fun board.

Wednesday the 15th is small and ordinary, but Thursday the 16th morning brings a nice surprise. The wind goes glassy offshore from the west, and we get a 4ft SSW groundswell with a very long 15-second period. The combined energy jumps to 787. This is a very clean, long-period wave. It’ll be peeling nicely at Fence, which is a reef/point setup, so the long period is a bonus here. The sets will be spaced out, making it easier to get out the back.

The standout by a long way is Tuesday the 21st of July. The morning is a straight-up 5 out of 10, with a massive 10ft south swell at a 17-second period. That’s groundswell of the highest order, and the combined energy is a colossal 5160. The wind is a glassy 5 km/h from the NNE, so it’s offshore and clean. This is a big, powerful, expert-only wave. The long period will make it wedge up and suck dry on the reef. It’s the best session of the whole forecast, but it’s for the brave only. The afternoon gets messy with a 20 km/h onshore wind, so get it in the morning.

Monday the 20th is also a good call, with a solid 7ft SSW swell and a light offshore wind, great for experienced surfers. And the 22nd of July morning holds another clean 6ft SSW swell with light offshore winds.

Overall, there’s a gap of real junk from the 11th to the 13th, then a few small windows mid-week before the big guns show up from the 20th to the 22nd. The 21st of July morning is the absolute pick of the bunch, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.

Rusty.

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