
Surf Forecasts:
Fence (Port Elizabeth) surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SSW swell with 3,752 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fence (Port Elizabeth) this week:
The surf forecast for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Fence (Port Elizabeth) in the next 16 days are 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of surf shaping up for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next couple of weeks, with a few proper standout sessions that’ll have you grinning. The water’s sitting at 64°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – a full 3° below average, so you’ll want that extra rubber.
The action kicks off Thursday morning, the 23rd of July. It’s not the biggest, with a 5ft SSW swell rolling in at a clean 12-second period, but the wind is light and offshore from the WNW, keeping things glassy. The combined energy is moderate at 702 – it’s a nice, easy start to the day. The afternoon picks up to 6ft, but that strong 25 mph offshore will make it a battle to get out.
Friday the 24th of July is where things get serious. The morning brings a solid 10ft SSW swell with a long 16-second period, pushing moderate-to-strong energy at 3992. That’s proper groundswell, and with a light offshore breeze, it’ll be clean and powerful. This is only for advanced surfers – it’s too big for beginners. The afternoon drops to 8ft but the wind swings onshore, so stick to the morning.
Saturday morning the 25th of July is a beauty: 5ft SSW swell, 14-second period, and glassy conditions with a slight breeze from the north. The energy is moderate at 1185, and it’ll be a joy to surf. The afternoon gets messy with onshore wind.
Sunday the 26th through Wednesday the 29th of July is a write-off – cross-onshore winds, choppy conditions, and poor surf quality across the board. Tuesday the 28th even has a risk of thunderstorms and 7ft swell, but it’s a mess. Skip it.
Then we get a nice shift. Thursday the 30th of July brings a 7ft ESE swell, shorter 9-second period, but clean offshore wind in the morning and light cross-off in the arvo. Combined energy is moderate at 1174. It’s fun, but the real standout is Friday the 31st of July.
Friday morning the 31st of July is the pick of the second week. We’re looking at a 7ft ESE swell, 11-second period, and glassy conditions – calm as a lake. The energy is strong at 1658. This is excellent for experienced surfers and will be clean from dawn. The afternoon goes onshore, so get in early.
Saturday the 1st of August drops to 7ft but with a light cross-onshore, and Sunday the 2nd of August goes glassy again with a 5ft E swell, 9-second period, and moderate energy at 494. Not a standout, but a nice little session.
After that, things fade. Monday the 3rd of August is blown out by strong winds, and Tuesday the 4th is lumpy. Wednesday the 5th of August has a tiny 3ft SW swell with clean offshore wind – more of a longboard day. Thursday the 6th of August shows promise with a 5ft SSW swell, 14-second period, and light offshore wind, combined energy 1176. Friday the 7th of August finishes up with a moderate 4ft SW swell, clean offshore, but the wind picks up in the arvo.
Overall, Fri 24th July morning and Fri 31st July morning are your absolute standouts. The crowd at Fence can be ‘sometimes’ busy, so expect company on the best days. The long-period swells will favour the reef and point setup here – it’s a spot that handles the juice well.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Thu afternoon, calm by Sat morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 24°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
548 | 1025 | 1496 | 3752 | 2955 | 1538 | 989 | 1013 | 852 | 525 | 378 | 440 | 325 | 416 | 1210 | 1437 | 2111 | 1439 | 1367 | 1292 | 947 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:42AM1.20m | 11:25PM1.36m | 12:19PM1.22m | 00:43AM1.38m | 1:31PM1.31m | 1:41AM1.45m | 2:20PM1.42m | 2:24AM1.53m | 2:58PM1.53m | 3:01AM1.60m | 3:31PM1.64m | 3:34AM1.67m | 4:01PM1.72m | 4:05AM1.72m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:28PM0.83m | 6:16AM0.81m | 6:17PM0.84m | 7:25AM0.73m | 7:31PM0.77m | 8:10AM0.63m | 8:19PM0.69m | 8:45AM0.52m | 8:57PM0.60m | 9:15AM0.43m | 9:31PM0.52m | 9:45AM0.35m | 10:01PM0.45m | ||||||||
7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | |
— | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | |
mm | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 24 | 23 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SE 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
548 | 112 | 507 | 3752 | 2955 | 1538 | 989 | 1013 | 852 | 525 | 378 | 440 | 325 | 294 | 1210 | 1437 | 2111 | 1439 | 1367 | 1292 | 947 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | E 9 | SE 12 | SSE 7 | SE 11 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | E 6 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | SSW 16 | — | — | — | — | ESE 11 | E 11 | ESE 11 |
142 | 14 | 66 | 191 | 57 | 143 | 196 | 188 | 77 | 35 | 66 | 94 | 51 | 416 | — | — | — | — | 41 | 88 | 24 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | S 24 | E 9 | ESE 11 | — | SE 10 | — | SE 11 | — | S 16 | S 16 | S 11 | S 16 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
12 | 11 | 6 | 49 | — | 50 | — | 31 | — | 186 | 186 | 9 | 135 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 12 | SSW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | E 4 | E 6 | ENE 7 | — | SW 4 | S 6 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
— | 1025 | 1496 | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 73 | 139 | — | 21 | 61 | 626 | 1080 | 860 | 976 | 928 | 826 | 721 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 290 | 66 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 264 | 142 | 234 | 239 | 37 | 208 | 37 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Fence (Port Elizabeth) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fence (Port Elizabeth) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fence (Port Elizabeth) 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 (Fence (Port Elizabeth)) 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 Fence (Port Elizabeth) 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.
The Fence is 6 km (4 miles) from the city of Port Elizabeth. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










