Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at what’s on the cards for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but there’s a proper standout waiting for us if we’re patient.

The first few days are a write-off, to be honest. Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd are plagued by strong onshore winds and choppy, lumpy conditions. The swell is there, but it’s a messy cross-on situation with moderate energy, and it’s just not worth paddling out for. Tuesday the 4th isn’t much better with a light cross-shore breeze and the swell dropping off. It’s a tough start.

We get a small glimmer on Wednesday the 5th morning. The wind swings offshore from the WSW, light at 6 mph, cleaning up a 4ft easterly swell. The energy is low, but it’ll be glassy and clean. A good session for a log or a funboard, but not a standout.

Now, Thursday the 6th of August is where it starts to get serious. That morning, we’ve got a solid 7ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a 14-second period, and the wind is light offshore from the WSW. The energy is pumping, and it’s clean. That’s some proper, powerful surf for experienced surfers. It’s the first real highlight. The afternoon holds up too, but the wind picks up a bit.

Friday the 7th is a total loss again – strong onshore winds trash the 6ft swell. Don’t even bother.

But then, hold onto your board. Saturday the 8th morning sees a massive jump in size. A 10ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and the wind is howling offshore from the WSW at 25 mph. The energy is enormous. It’s clean, but that wind is so strong it’ll be hard to paddle into. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a battle. The afternoon gets even bigger with a 15ft swell, but the wind gets near-gale force. It’s more of a spectacle than a surf session.

The absolute standout, the one you mark on your calendar, is Sunday the 9th of August. The morning is insane: a 16ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind is a gentle offshore breeze. The combined energy is staggering. This is a true, once-in-a-forecast window for expert surfers at Fence. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it will be clean. The afternoon swell is even bigger at 18ft, but the wind swings onshore, so the morning is the window.

The following week settles down. Monday the 10th has a solid 11ft SSW swell with fresh offshore winds (19 mph), but the energy is still high. It’s still a big, powerful day for experienced surfers. Things taper off through the middle of the week with smaller swells and onshore winds, but the water temperature is sitting at 63°F, which is notably colder than average for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent wetsuit.

The next real chance comes on Sunday the 16th of August. The morning shows a 5ft SSW groundswell with a very long 17-second period, and the wind is a slight cross-offshore. The energy is moderate, and it’s clean. That long period will make for some beautifully shaped waves at Fence, but it’s a point break setup, so it should handle that long-period energy well. A solid session in the making. Monday the 17th is a smaller, cleaner option to finish the run.

So, for the best on offer, you’ve got two clear windows: Thursday morning the 6th of August for a strong, clean 7ft SSW groundswell, and the absolute king is Sunday morning the 9th of August for that massive, clean 16ft SSW swell. That’s the one. The rest of the week has small windows of clean surf, but those two mornings are the standouts. Stay safe out there if you’re paddling into the big stuff.

Rusty.

Read more