Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are some real gems if you’re prepared to wait.

The swell window is open, but the first few days are a write-off. We’ve got a solid looking run of groundswell on the horizon, mostly from the SSW, but the wind is gonna be a challenge for a while.

Fence (Port Elizabeth) is our only spot, and it’s a very consistent, advanced wave. It’s a fairly exposed break, and it loves a SE swell, but the main energy we’re seeing is from the SSW. The water is a chilly 62.6°F and that’s a whopping 4.5°F colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick steamer.

We start off frustrating. Sunday the 12th is a total loss. Rain, a strong onshore wind from the ENE at 12 mph, and the forecast is for poor surf. The combined energy is moderate (626) but it’s just messy. Monday the 13th isn’t much better. A bit of a jump in swell to 6.2 ft from the east, but the period is a short, weak 8 seconds, and the wind is cross-on. Not worth getting wet.

Then we get a glimmer. Tuesday morning the 14th. The wind goes glassy, dead calm, with a clean 5.2 ft swell from the ESE. The period is a more respectable 9 seconds, and the energy is moderate (448) – it’s not huge, but it’ll be clean and fun on the sets. The crowd is listed as “sometimes” so you might have a few friends out, but for a Tuesday morning it’s a solid bet. Wednesday the 15th is smaller, dropping to 3.6 ft, but with a gentle offshore from the WSW keeping it tidy. It’s a good option for a longboard or a bigger board.

Now, hold on to your boardies. The first standout is shaping up for Thursday the 16th. The swell jumps up to 5.6 ft from the SSW, but the period stretches to 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The combined energy is strong at 1304. The wind is a light cross-shore from the north, which will leave some texture on the face, but it’s a powerful, clean wave. Thursday afternoon cleans up with a cross-offshore. This is a proper session for the experienced crew.

The next few days, from Friday the 17th to Saturday the 18th, are a write-off again. The swell gets big on Friday, 7.2 ft from the SSW, but the wind is a messy 22 mph cross-off from the WSW. It’s too big and blown out for the average surfer, and the energy is very strong (1616), but the quality is poor. Saturday is a total mess with onshore gales.

Sunday the 19th is redemption. The wind swings offshore from the WSW, gentle at 9 mph, and the swell is 3.9 ft from the SSE with a 12-second period. The energy is still strong (934), but the conditions are forecast to be “very good”. This is a clean, quality wave for the experienced surfer.

The second week gets interesting. The 22nd of July is a monster. The swell jumps to 8.2 ft, but the period is an incredible 16 seconds from the south. The combined energy is 3576 – that’s a very strong swell. It’s a big, powerful groundswell, and for a beach break like Fence, it might be a bit too straight and shifty. It’s definitely for experts only. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

The real standout, the one to circle on your calendar, is the 23rd of July. We’ve got a 5.9 ft groundswell from the SSW with a 14-second period, and the wind is a clean, moderate offshore from the west at 16 mph. The conditions are forecast as “excellent for experienced surfers”. The energy is very strong (1545). This is the best of the forecast: clean, powerful, and big.

The 24th of July is another cracker. The wind goes dead calm in the morning, with a perfect offshore from the WNW. The swell is 5.9 ft with a 15-second period. Again, the energy is very strong (1601). This is another top-tier session for the experts.

The run continues through the 25th and 26th with big, clean, offshore winds, but the 27th of July might be the biggest of the lot. The 27th morning sees 8.2 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period and a gentle offshore. The combined energy is 3437 – that’s a massive amount of power. For the experienced surfer, this is a full-on, serious day.

So, to wrap it up. The first week is a write-off except for a couple of windows. The *real* gold is from the 23rd of July onwards. If you’re an expert, you’ve got a run of days from the 23rd to the 27th that look absolutely world-class. The 23rd and 24th are the standouts for the cleanest, most powerful conditions. Everything else is either too small,

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