Thompsons Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 29.53° S 31.22° E

Thompsons Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 13 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thompsons Bay sea temperature is
21.9° C
0.0° 

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


Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 14s period, S swell with 1,033 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period with E swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thompsons Bay this week:

The surf forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 13) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Thompsons Bay in the next 16 days are 1.7m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Mon 13th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 7s
Best Surf 2PM (Sat 18th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 14s
Most Powerful 5PM (Sat 18th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 14s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.


G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu at Thompsons Bay over the next couple weeks. The water temp here is sitting at a dead-on 71°, pretty much spot-on average for this time of year – nothing unusual there. The overall energy through the period is all over the shop, with some moderate to strong pulses. But the tricky wind pattern and a lot of cross-chop mean we’ve got to pick our moments carefully.

Monday morning (13 July) kicks off with a 4ft SE swell, 7-second period, weak energy (474). It’s cross-shore and light, so the vibe is “marginal.” Not terrible but not exactly lighting it up either. That afternoon it jumps to 5ft from the east, but the wind picks up to a moderate cross-shore and the conditions just fall apart. Score it a miss.

Tuesday (14 July) has a bit more oomph – 7ft ESE swell in the morning, period 9 seconds, moderate energy (789). Same issue though: cross-shore wind with a cross-chop. Afternoon gets even messier. This is pushing into that size where it could be a handful for the less experienced, and the wind’s not helping. Not a standout.

Wednesday (15 July) is where we get a little glimmer. The morning still has that cross-on breeze with 6ft E swell, but by the afternoon the wind drops to glassy – absolute magic. 6ft E swell, 10-second period, moderate energy (588). That glassy surface with a decent groundswell pulse makes this the pick of the first week. A bit of a rare treat for consistency here, and crowds are sometimes around, so expect a few others with the same idea.

Thursday (16 July) and Friday (17 July) are a bit of a mixed bag. Thursday has onshore wind in the morning, then more cross-on slop. Friday morning sees a glassy window with 4ft E swell, very low energy (338) – rideable but ordinary. That afternoon a strong SSW wind kicks up a chop, so no good.

Saturday (18 July) brings a shift. The morning has 5ft S swell, an 11-second period, and strong energy (988), but it’s cross-on with light rain. The afternoon gets interesting: 6ft S swell, a very long 14-second period, and strong energy (1340) with a light cross-shore. That’s some serious groundswell power. The long period will make it better for a point or reef setup, but at a sheltered spot like this, it might get a bit straight in the beachy sections. Still, worth a look if you’re keen.

Sunday (19 July) drops back to 3ft SSE swell with moderate energy (616), cross-shore but messy. Not much to write home about.

There’s a gap from Monday (20 July) through Tuesday morning (21 July) where the swell dips below 3ft or is just poor. Tuesday afternoon gets a 6ft ENE pulse but with a strong cross-shore chop – a kite surfer’s dream maybe, not so much for paddling.

Now here’s a real standout: Wednesday morning (22 July). Glassy conditions, 4ft SSW swell with a very long 16-second period, moderate-strong energy (856). That’s pure groundswell, long lines, and clean as a whistle. For a sheltered bay, this is the best on offer in the whole period. The long period at a beach break can be a little hit and miss for shape, but with glassy wind, it’ll be a joy. Afternoon stays okay with a gentle cross-shore but not as pristine.

Thursday (23 July) has onshore wind in the morning, but the afternoon brings 5ft SSW swell, 14-second period, strong energy (1029) with a light cross-onshore. Decent, but that morning session is the one.

From Friday (24 July) onward through to the 28th, it’s a lot of cross-shore or cross-on winds, with swell sizes bouncing from 4ft to 8ft. The 28th Tuesday afternoon has a 8ft ENE swell with an 8-second period – short period and onshore-leaning wind. That’s more of a closeout and messy. Not for the faint-hearted.

In summary, the standout moment is Wednesday 22 July morning – glassy, long-period groundswell, clean. If you’re chasing something in the first week, Wednesday 15 July afternoon is a close second. Everything else is marginal or just plain average. Crowds can show up here sometimes, so get in early.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 24°C on Fri morning, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
2
2
1
0
2
1
0
0
1
2
1
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
SE
7
1.6
E
8
1.3
E
8
2.1
ESE
9
2.1
E
9
2
E
10
1.8
E
10
1.7
E
10
1.6
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.4
E
10
1.2
E
10
1
E
10
0.8
SSW
15
1.4
S
11
1.7
S
14
1
S
12
0.9
SSE
11
1.1
S
10
0.7
S
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
176
292
207
724
780
776
630
575
510
449
443
377
266
184
284
502
1033
289
187
260
114
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
20
NE
10
NNW
15
NE
20
NE
5
NW
5
ENE
5
E
5
WNW
5
SSE
10
ENE
10
NNW
5
ESE
25
SSW
15
SW
10
SSW
10
NE
20
NNE
15
NE
10
ENE
15
WSW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
off
cross-on
glassy
off
on
cross-on
off
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
3:11PM1.66m
3:30AM1.78m
3:57PM1.79m
4:13AM1.83m
4:40PM1.87m
4:53AM1.83m
5:20PM1.90m
5:31AM1.80m
5:59PM1.87m
6:07AM1.72m
6:37PM1.80m
6:43AM1.62m
7:13PM1.68m
Low Tide
8:58AM0.22m
9:16PM0.21m
9:42AM0.11m
10:02PM0.14m
10:23AM0.03m
10:45PM0.11m
11:02AM0.01m
11:26PM0.14m
11:39AM0.03m
00:05AM0.20m
12:15PM0.10m
00:43AM0.30m
12:50PM0.21m
1:20AM0.41m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:48
6:48
6:48
6:48
6:48
6:47
6:47
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:12
5:13
5:13
5:14
5:14
5:15
5:15
 mm
2
1
Temp °C
18
19
19
19
21
19
21
21
19
20
20
18
24
22
20
17
17
17
21
24
20
Feels °C
17
16
18
17
18
19
20
20
19
20
19
18
22
18
18
15
18
16
19
21
16
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Thompsons Bay:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Thompsons Bay surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the Thompsons Bay Surf forecast

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

Thompsons Bay is 3 km (2 miles) from the city of Ballitoville. If you plan a holiday in KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ballitoville. Ballitoville has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

Nearest locationNearest