The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 08 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
16.4° C
0.7° 

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 8 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SW swell with 4,117 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s 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 09) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore 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 Sunday (Aug 09) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Sun 9th Aug)11ft (3.5m) 14s
Best Surf 2AM (Sun 9th Aug)11ft (3.5m) 14s
Most Powerful 5AM (Sun 9th Aug)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 take a proper look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up at The Heads. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but we’ve got some real gems hiding in there if you’re willing to wait and pick your moment.

The early part of the week is looking pretty average. Sunday and Monday are a write-off with messy onshore winds and a lot of rain. The swell is there, pushing 10 ft, but the wind is just ruining it. Not worth paddling out. Tuesday morning shows some improvement with cleaner conditions, but the quality is still not there.

The real standout window kicks off Wednesday the 12th through to Friday the 14th. This is the good stuff. The Heads is a sandbar setup, so it’s all about getting the right conditions, and for a few days we get them.

Wednesday morning the 12th is the first day to get excited about. We’ve got a solid 5 ft of SSW groundswell rolling in with a very long period of 20 seconds. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the ENE at 10 km/h, keeping the surface clean. The wave energy is pumping at (2247), and while the sets will be a bit spread out with that long period, the wait will be worth it. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Thursday the 13th morning is the pick of the bunch. The swell picks up to 6 ft from the SSW, still a long 19-second period, and the wind swings to a true offshore from the NNE at 15 km/h. The energy is right up there at (4416), and the description says it all: gentle offshore and clean. This is a session for experienced surfers given the size and power, but if you’ve got the chops, this is the one to circle.

Friday the 14th keeps the fun going. A smaller 5 ft SW swell, but with a 16-second period and more offshore NNE wind at 15 km/h in the morning. The energy is still moderate at (1835), and the conditions are clean. The afternoon drops off to 4 ft and lighter winds, still good for a longboard or a funboard.

The weekend gets smaller again. Saturday the 15th has a tiny 4 ft SW swell, but Saturday afternoon turns glassy. It’s small, but if you’re after a mellow, clean session with no crowds, it’s worth a look. Sunday the 16th also has glassy moments in the afternoon, but the swell is even smaller at 3 ft.

The second week sees a pulse of solid swell return, but it’s a bit more hit and miss with the wind. Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th have some decent 5 ft to 6 ft SW swell, and Tuesday morning is glassy again. Worth a look.

The one true standout is Thursday the 13th morning. That’s the day where the stars align. The whole setup looks more interesting for a proper paddle session than for kiting, given the clean offshore conditions.

Things get a bit messy from the 19th onward. A raw 10 ft SW swell on Wednesday the 19th, but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. The pattern is still delivering consistent swell, but the window for clean conditions is narrow. The final few days of the forecast have a lot of cross and cross-on wind, making it tough to get a clean one. The good news is The Heads is fairly consistent, so it won’t stay poor for long.

Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 41mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
!
2
0
3
1
2
3
3
0
4
4
3
4
5
4
4
4
3
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
3.5
SW
14
3
SW
13
3.5
SSW
12
3
SW
12
2.5
SSW
11
2.1
S
10
3
S
14
2.5
S
13
1.7
SSW
12
0.9
SSW
23
1.4
SSW
20
1.6
SSW
18
1.8
SSW
17
1.7
SSW
19
2.2
SW
17
1.7
SW
16
1.4
SW
16
1.2
SW
15
1.1
SW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
4081
2658
3508
2110
1517
847
3755
2318
789
738
1544
1609
1978
2001
2778
1456
967
606
453
Wind (km/h)
20
SW
15
WSW
25
S
10
SW
15
S
15
ESE
15
E
15
E
25
ESE
15
ENE
10
ENE
15
ENE
15
NE
15
NNE
15
ENE
15
NNE
15
NNE
10
NNE
15
N
Wind State
cross-on
cross
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
High Tide
00:33AM1.38m
1:23PM1.34m
1:42AM1.52m
2:17PM1.54m
2:33AM1.66m
3:01PM1.71m
3:16AM1.75m
3:41PM1.84m
3:55AM1.80m
4:18PM1.92m
4:31AM1.80m
4:52PM1.93m
Low Tide
7:09AM0.44m
7:29PM0.46m
8:06AM0.28m
8:26PM0.29m
8:51AM0.13m
9:12PM0.15m
9:30AM0.03m
9:53PM0.06m
10:05AM-0.03m
10:31PM0.03m
10:39AM-0.04m
11:06PM0.05m
rain showers
mod rain
mod rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:13
7:11
7:11
7:09
7:09
7:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:53
5:54
5:55
5:55
 mm
6
9
8
8
4
3
3
Temp °C
15
11
13
13
13
13
13
14
16
13
16
20
18
22
25
22
24
27
23
Feels °C
13
7
7
8
9
10
10
10
11
8
13
16
14
17
21
18
19
23
19
  • 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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