
Surf Forecasts:
Fence (Port Elizabeth) surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, S swell with 2,927 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 15s 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 1.0m and 8s is also forecast. 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 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s look at what’s cooking for the Port Elizabeth area.
First up, this is all about Fence (Port Elizabeth). No other breaks are on the cards for this outlook, so we’re dialed in on this one spot.
Right off the bat, I gotta level with you – it’s a rough start. The water is sitting at 60°F, which is a wild 7°F colder than normal for this time of year. That’s seriously unusual, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit if you’re paddling out now.
From Saturday the 8th through to the 14th, it’s pretty grim. We’ve got onshore winds, cross-chop, and generally poor surf conditions. The swell’s there, but the wind is just trashing it. Sunday the 9th morning has a solid 8ft SSW groundswell with a 13-second period, but with a 22 mph cross-off wind, it’s not gonna be pretty. The wave energy is strong (1949), but it’s all for nothing with that breeze.
The Real Deal:
Now, look ahead to Saturday, August 15th. That’s your standout. The morning session is where it’s at. We’ve got a clean 7ft swell from the east with an 8-second period, and here’s the kicker – a light 6 mph offshore wind from the west. That’s going to groom those waves into something really special. The combined swell energy is moderate (1033), and the forecast is calling for very good surf conditions. This is the one to circle on your calendar. Keep in mind, the period is short so it won’t have that groundswell punch, but for a beach break setup, it should be fun and punchy. And because it’s a high-quality spot that’s very consistent, expect it to be *sometimes* crowded.
After that, Sunday the 16th offers a smaller follow-up with clean 5ft waves and light offshore winds, a solid option if you missed the main event.
The rest of the second week into August 23rd looks mostly wind-affected or small, with marginal surf at best. That Saturday the 22nd has a clean offshore wind but only 3ft of swell, so it’s a long shot.
So, to wrap it up: suffer through the first week, or skip it entirely. The only true standout is Saturday morning, August 15th at Fence with that offshore wind and clean 7ft east swell. That’s your window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Sun afternoon, light winds from the SE by Mon night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ENE on Wed afternoon, light winds from the NNE by Fri morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 14 | S 13 | SSE 12 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | SSW 18 | SSW 21 | SSW 19 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | E 7 | E 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
788 | 1900 | 1834 | 700 | 540 | 414 | 287 | 2927 | 1922 | 1806 | 327 | 511 | 408 | 559 | 714 | 1121 | 604 | 335 | 349 | 466 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 00:24AM1.48m | 1:15PM1.44m | 1:36AM1.59m | 2:13PM1.60m | 2:30AM1.71m | 3:00PM1.76m | 3:15AM1.81m | 3:41PM1.89m | 3:55AM1.86m | 4:19PM1.96m | 4:32AM1.87m | 4:55PM1.98m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:57PM0.75m | 7:06AM0.62m | 7:26PM0.64m | 8:04AM0.48m | 8:24PM0.49m | 8:49AM0.35m | 9:11PM0.36m | 9:28AM0.24m | 9:51PM0.27m | 10:03AM0.18m | 10:27PM0.23m | 10:37AM0.16m | 11:02PM0.23m | |||||||
— | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | |
5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | E 10 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSE 8 | SSW 11 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 19 | SSW 16 | E 8 | SSW 15 | E 8 |
788 | 1900 | 47 | 700 | 540 | 414 | 282 | 2927 | 1922 | 1013 | 151 | 140 | 399 | 559 | 452 | 1121 | 604 | 249 | 193 | 466 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 10 | — | SSW 12 | SSW 22 | SSW 11 | S 10 | SSW 21 | S 9 | S 11 | SSW 15 | S 9 | SSW 14 |
44 | 60 | 68 | 30 | 28 | 37 | 34 | 25 | 16 | — | 311 | 265 | 79 | 31 | 714 | 6 | 9 | 335 | 1 | 186 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | — | — | — | — | ESE 7 | SE 8 | — | — | — | E 10 | — | S 11 | SW 10 | S 10 | S 12 | — | S 10 | — | — |
21 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 16 | — | — | — | 18 | — | 82 | 28 | 16 | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | — | SSW 13 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | — | — | SSE 12 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | — | E 7 | — |
86 | — | 1834 | 187 | 447 | 203 | 287 | — | — | 1806 | 327 | 511 | 408 | 524 | 294 | 453 | 440 | — | 349 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 206 | 0 | 66 | 838 | 209 | 290 | 290 | 249 | 239 | 628 | 246 | 239 | 239 | 206 | 208 | 264 | 206 | 11 | 206 | 11 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











