Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for us at Fence (Port Elizabeth). The water’s sitting at a chilly 58°F at the moment, and with a temperature anomaly of -9°F, that is *very* unusual – we’re talking way colder than what we’d usually be feeling this time of year. But hey, the swell windows are looking interesting.

The overall pattern kicks off on Sunday afternoon, 16 August, with some small but clean lines rolling in. We’ve got a 3ft swell out of the SW at 12 seconds and light cross-off winds. The combined energy is 331 (moderate wave energy), so it’s not going to blow your socks off, but it’s a nice, mellow start. Monday 17th picks up a touch with 4ft Monday morning and 4ft Monday afternoon, both solid SW swells, periods around 13-14 seconds, and clean conditions. Not huge, but the consistency is there and the wind is friendly.

Tuesday 18th is where we start cranking it up. Afternoon brings 5ft from the SSW with a 14-second period, energy jumping to 859 (moderate wave energy), and still clean. This is the start of the first real standout period.

The highlight of this early run has to be Thursday morning, 20 August. That’s the one. We’re looking at 8ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, offshore wind, and a massive combined energy of 2612 (strong wave energy). This is excellent for experienced surfers – it’s big, clean, and powerful. For beginners, that 8ft will be too much to handle. Thursday afternoon pushes 10ft but picks up a bit of cross-off wind, so it’s less ideal than the morning.

Friday and Saturday, 21–22 August, are a write-off. Onshore wind, choppy junk. The swell drops and the wind cranks from the east. Just skip those days.

Sunday 23 August rolls in with a monster: 20ft SSW swell at a very long 15-second period. The combined energy is a staggering 24431 (very strong wave energy). That is *too big* for this break – even for experts it’s going to be ugly and dangerous. Big waves like this with long periods tend to break too straight on a beach setup; a point reef or river mouth would handle it better. Monday 24th still has a huge 13ft S swell (15-second period) with Slight air winds, meaning clean but still only for the bravest and most skilled. The energy is 6186 (very strong wave energy). If you’re not an expert, stay on the sand.

After that, the second week gets messy. From Tuesday 25th onward, we get onshore wind and choppy conditions, with a few small windows of marginal surf. Nothing worth paddling out for until Sunday 30 August, which offers a brief glimpse of 4ft SW swell with light winds and clean conditions, but the swell energy is still modest (401). Then Monday 31 August throws a massive 13ft SW groundswell at us again, but with strong onshore wind, so it’s messy and blown out.

If I’m calling the standout, it’s Thursday morning, 20 August for the experienced crew – 8ft, clean, offshore, and strong. If you’re a beginner or just want a fun cruise, the Sunday afternoon 16 August through Tuesday 18th stretch is your best bet with clean, waist-to-chest high waves.

Rusty signing off.

Read more