Thompsons Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 29.53° S 31.22° E

Thompsons Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 01 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thompsons Bay sea temperature is
20.1°C
1.3° 

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 1 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, S swell with 7,049 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s 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 Tuesday (Sep 01) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Thompsons Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5PM (Tue 1st Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 8s
Best Surf 8PM (Wed 2nd Sep)3.5ft (1.1m) 16s
Most Powerful 8AM (Mon 7th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 19s

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


The Lowdown

Imperial Version

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be honest, Thompsons Bay – it’s a sheltered spot, and the next two weeks look like a real mixed bag. We’re not exactly blessed with classic conditions, but there are a few windows where it could get fun. The water's sitting at about 68°, which is a bit cooler than normal for this time of year, so you might want a spring suit.

The first few days are a write-off. Tuesday and Wednesday are just not happening – poor surf, messy winds, and the water’s a bit chilly. It’s a tough start.

We get a bit of a tease on Thursday the 3rd. The morning shows a small 2ft swell from the SSW (14 sec period) with clean conditions and a light offshore breeze. The wave energy is moderate (412). It’s a marginal call, but if you’re desperate, that’s your best bet early on.

Then Friday the 4th through Sunday the 6th is a total mess. Strong winds, rain, and a big lumpy swell that’s way too big for the quality of the wind. Friday afternoon sees a 13ft swell from the south with a fresh cross-onshore. That’s expert-only territory, if it’s even surfable. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Now, the real standout comes on Monday the 7th. We’ve got a solid 13ft groundswell from the south with a very long period of 17 seconds. The energy is pumping (8710). The morning has a gentle cross-shore and it’s a marginal call, but the afternoon cleans up nicely with a cross-off breeze from the NE. This is a big, powerful swell. For a sheltered spot like Thompsons Bay, this long-period groundswell from the south could wrap in beautifully. It’s big enough for experts only, but if you’ve got the skills, this is the best session on offer. Just be aware, it’s a long-range call, so the forecast could shift.

The next week is a bit of a letdown. We get a tiny window on Saturday the 12th afternoon. The swell is 7ft from the ENE (8 sec) and the conditions go glassy. That’s a rare moment of pure calm, and the energy is moderate (624). It’s not the biggest, but with zero wind, it’ll be clean. That’s your best bet for a fun, manageable session.

The rest of the second week is just more of the same: messy winds, lumpy conditions, and poor surf. Nothing really stands out.

So, to sum it up: the highlight is Monday the 7th for the big, powerful groundswell, but only for the experts. For a more relaxed session, keep an eye on Saturday the 12th afternoon for the glassy conditions. Otherwise, it’s a pretty quiet outlook.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Warm (max 33°C on Thu afternoon, min 18°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, near gales from the SSW by Fri morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun afternoon).

Tue
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
0
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
2
2
1
2
3
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
E
8
1.2
ENE
7
0.6
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
16
1.1
SSW
16
1.3
ENE
8
2.3
ENE
8
2
SSW
7
3
S
8
4
S
10
3
SSE
10
2.3
SSE
9
1.8
SSE
9
1.3
E
10
1.1
E
9
0.9
SSW
11
1.3
S
22
3.5
S
18
2.5
S
16
1.7
S
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
140
143
167
429
628
207
679
360
1159
3304
1970
883
516
318
194
191
1642
6563
3118
1179
Wind (km/h)
5
SE
5
WSW
25
S
10
SSE
10
NNE
20
NNE
30
ENE
35
SSW
55
SSW
35
S
20
SSE
5
ESE
10
E
5
NW
5
SSE
10
ENE
15
NE
30
NE
40
NE
20
NNE
Wind State
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
off
glassy
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
High Tide
6:01PM1.86m
6:12AM1.67m
6:34PM1.71m
6:46AM1.52m
7:13PM1.53m
7:30AM1.33m
8:09PM1.32m
8:54AM1.15m
10:29PM1.18m
12:09PM1.17m
00:53AM1.29m
1:34PM1.39m
1:53AM1.48m
Low Tide
00:10AM0.18m
12:18PM0.18m
00:45AM0.33m
12:54PM0.35m
1:28AM0.50m
1:43PM0.55m
2:38AM0.68m
3:21PM0.74m
5:23AM0.74m
6:26PM0.71m
7:14AM0.57m
7:44PM0.51m
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
mod rain
mod rain
rain showers
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:09
6:07
6:07
6:05
6:05
6:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:39
5:39
5:40
5:40
5:42
5:42
5:43
 mm
6
7
2
1
3
3
Temp °C
24
23
23
21
20
32
33
24
21
19
18
17
18
17
17
17
18
18
21
19
Feels °C
24
26
23
22
22
27
30
21
18
13
11
15
17
16
17
17
18
13
15
14
  • 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 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.

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