The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 29 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
14.9°C
2.4° 

The Heads surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


The Heads surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SW swell with 3,642 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 12s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Heads this week:

The surf forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at The Heads in the next 16 days are 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5PM (Sun 30th Aug)7ft (2.1m) 12s
Best Surf 8AM (Wed 2nd Sep)11ft (3.5m) 13s
Most Powerful 8AM (Wed 2nd Sep)11ft (3.5m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a good look at the charts for The Heads. The water is currently sitting at 59°, which is much colder than you'd normally expect for this time of year – a solid 4° below the average, so don't forget your thick wetsuit.

The outlook kicks off this Saturday, August 29th, but honestly, it's a bit of a dud to start. We've got a weak 3ft S swell with a cross-shore wind and poor surf conditions, and the combined energy is only moderate (572). The afternoon drops to a tiny 2ft SW swell. Not worth paddling out for.

Sunday, August 30th, is where things start to get interesting. The morning swell jumps to 7ft from the SW, and the wind is light cross-shore, but the score is still just marginal. The real standout is Sunday afternoon. The Heads will be the place to be. The swell holds at a solid 7ft from the SW with a long 12-second period, and the wind goes glassy. The combined energy climbs to a strong 1191. This is going to be clean, punchy, and well-shaped surf. This is your session.

Monday, August 31st, morning is another glassy gem with a 5ft SW swell, but the wind shifts cross-on in the afternoon, so get out early. Tuesday, September 1st, sees the swell picking up to 8ft from the SW by the afternoon, but the wind is cross-shore. The energy is strong (1931), and while it's a bit lumpy, there will be some power.

Wednesday, September 2nd, the swell gets solid with a 10ft SW groundswell, but that's pushing into expert territory with a strong cross-shore breeze. The energy is very strong (3181). If you're a charger, you might find a ledge, but it's a bit messy.

Thursday, September 3rd, starts with a 7ft SW swell but the wind is cross-on, and by the afternoon it's a howling 30 km/h onshore from the SE. That's a write-off. Friday, September 4th, is also a write-off with 30 km/h cross-shore winds. This setup is looking more like a kite surfer's dream than a paddle surfer's for those days.

There's a bit of a lull, then we get a nice surprise on Monday, September 7th in the morning. The Heads will see a clean 3ft swell from the SSW with a very long 20-second period, combined with a light cross-offshore wind. The energy is still strong (1466). This is a classic groundswell wrap, perfect for a sandbar. It's a bit smaller, but the conditions will be excellent for experienced surfers.

The swell drops off after that until Saturday, September 12th. The afternoon is a real highlight. The swell is a solid 8ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy, making for excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers. The energy is very strong (1562). This one looks like a ripper.

Finally, Sunday, September 13th morning, the swell is predicted to be a massive 12ft from the SW. The combined energy is a whopping 5293. That is a serious groundswell, and it's predicted to be too big for this break. Unless you're a properly experienced big-wave surfer, give it a wide berth.

Alright, keep an eye on Sunday afternoon August 30th and Monday morning September 7th for the best windows. Signing off.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, strong winds from the SE by Thu afternoon).

Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
1
2
3
3
3
1
3
2
3
4
3
2
4
3
0
1
0
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
S
11
0.7
SW
13
0.8
SW
14
2.1
SW
9
2.1
SW
12
1.8
SW
12
1.6
SW
11
1.5
SW
11
1.8
SW
11
2.1
SW
12
2.4
SW
13
3
SW
13
3
SW
13
2.5
SW
13
2.4
SW
13
2.2
SW
12
2
SW
12
1
SSW
14
2.3
SSW
11
1.8
SSW
11
1.6
SSW
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
251
175
241
729
1130
840
675
573
770
1102
1912
3299
3174
2511
2005
1486
1148
389
1261
821
582
Wind (km/h)
20
WSW
10
W
15
WSW
10
WSW
5
SW
5
NNW
5
S
5
SSE
5
NNW
10
SW
10
W
5
NNW
10
ESE
10
ESE
5
NNW
10
SSW
30
SE
25
ESE
30
ESE
30
E
20
ENE
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
4:26PM1.89m
4:37AM1.76m
4:54PM1.90m
5:06AM1.72m
5:24PM1.85m
5:38AM1.64m
5:57PM1.76m
6:13AM1.53m
6:34PM1.62m
6:54AM1.38m
7:20PM1.45m
7:52AM1.21m
8:36PM1.27m
Low Tide
10:13AM0.01m
10:35PM0.06m
10:40AM0.01m
11:05PM0.06m
11:09AM0.05m
11:36PM0.12m
11:40AM0.14m
00:11AM0.21m
12:14PM0.26m
00:51AM0.35m
12:56PM0.42m
1:45AM0.51m
1:58PM0.59m
3:22AM0.65m
cloud
cloud
light rain
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
mod rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:50
6:48
6:48
6:47
6:45
6:43
6:43
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:08
6:08
6:09
6:10
 mm
5
1
7
4
Temp °C
18
17
15
14
14
13
15
15
12
16
15
13
17
18
14
16
15
16
17
16
15
Feels °C
19
16
14
12
11
12
14
12
12
14
13
11
15
15
13
16
8
11
11
10
10
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the The Heads Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for The Heads provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Heads can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Heads 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 (The Heads) 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 The Heads 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.

Are you planning a holiday in Garden Route? If you are looking for accommodation near The Heads, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Garden Route, consider staying in Knysna which is 4 km (2 miles) away. Other places in and around Garden Route where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Plettenberg Bay which is 28 km (17 miles) away, George, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.

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