Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water’s sitting at 18°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year – so you’ll want that thick wetsuit if you’re heading out.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the real standout is going to be Wednesday the 2nd. Tuesday morning the 1st kicks things off with some clean, glassy conditions on a 4ft SSW swell with a decent 13-second period. The energy is moderate at 546, making it a nice intro to the week. But Wednesday morning is where it’s at: a solid 7ft SSW groundswell with a 14-second period, and the wind is light and cross-offshore. That’s going to produce some clean, powerful lines – excellent for advanced surfers. The energy is strong at 1475. The swell is above 5ft, so it’s getting a bit serious for beginners. The period is over 11 seconds, meaning proper groundswell with good shape, and at a reef setup like this, it’ll be well worth the paddle out. Crowds can show up sometimes, but for that quality, it’s no surprise.

From Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, the wind swings around and gets messy. Thursday sees a 6ft S swell but with a 25 km/h cross-shore wind and rain – not great. The quality drops right off.

Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are pretty much write-offs. We get a big 10ft SSE swell on Friday morning, but with a 35 km/h cross-onshore wind, it’s just lumpy and blown out. By Sunday the 6th, there’s a monster 13ft S groundswell with a 19-second period and massive energy of 12122, but the onshore wind is way too strong. That’s a big, dangerous ocean – only for the hardcore, and even then, not recommended.

After a poor run of days, we get a little window on Tuesday morning the 8th. The swell drops to 5ft from the east with a 10-second period, but the wind is cross-off and clean. Energy is weak at 634, so it’s more of a small-wave cruiser than a standout. From there, it’s mostly small and average through to the middle of the month.

There’s a dry spell with no good recommendations from Wednesday the 9th right through to Monday the 14th. Bits and pieces show up – like Friday morning the 11th with a 6ft east swell but a 6-second period – that’s just too short and weak to get excited about.

Finally, on Wednesday the 16th, things ease back into shape. A 4ft SSW swell with a 12-second period and light cross-offshore wind delivers clean, surfable waves with moderate energy at 427. It’s not a barnstormer, but after that long gap, it’ll feel like a treat.

So overall, the pick of the period is Wednesday morning the 2nd. After that, be patient – it’s a long wait before things look tidy again.

- Rusty

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