Thompsons Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 29.53° S 31.22° E

Thompsons Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 14 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thompsons Bay sea temperature is
20.1°C
1.4° 

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 14 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 19 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SE swell with 1,932 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period with ENE 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 15) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 2.5m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s 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 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 19) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 19) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Tue 15th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 9s
Best Surf 5AM (Tue 15th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 9s
Most Powerful 5AM (Sat 19th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

Alright mate, strap in. We're looking at Thompsons Bay for the next 16 days, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch. The opener is rough, and we're waiting a full three days before anything even gets a nod of approval. The early window is just no good. Monday 14th through Wednesday 16th, we're battling a strong, messy cross-shore wind, and that swell is shot through with junk. A solid 12 ft on Monday afternoon (1848 combined energy) sounds punchy, but the north-easterly near-gale ripping across it makes it an absolute chore, not a joy. Kite surfers might be having a field day, but for a paddle surfer, it's a write-off.

Now, Thursday 17th is where things start to take a turn. Thursday afternoon, the stars line up. The wind drops to dead glassy – 0 mph - and we've got a clean 7 ft swell from the ESE. The energy jumps to a solid 1438, and with that glassy surface, this is hands-down the best session on offer. The water temp is sitting at 68°F, which is about 3°F colder than usual for this time of year – you'll feel that little bite. This is the standout window. It's a fairly consistent break, and with glassy conditions like that, you'd be a fool to miss it.

Friday 18th keeps the run going with a glassy morning, 8 ft from the SE (1126 energy). That's another belter of a session. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-off breeze which cleans it up, but with 8 ft from the SE, it's still got plenty of push. The crowd factor at Thompsons Bay is "sometimes", so expect a few others with the same idea, but the quality on these two days will be worth the company.

The weekend takes a hit though. Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th, the north-easterly is back up, turning that solid 8-10 ft swell into lumpy, cross-shore chop. The energy is high (up to 1726 on Saturday), but it's just not gonna be clean. You could find a sneaky one if you're desperate, but the magic of Thursday and Friday is gone.

After that, it's a mixed bag of onshore and cross-shore winds right through to the end of the window. We get a big spike on Monday 21st afternoon with a 15 ft SSW swell packing a massive 4374 energy! That's serious juice, but the wind is a strong cross-shore, making it a proper washing machine. That's only for the brave or the very experienced. The following days see the swell drop off to the 3-6 ft range, but the wind keeps it bumpy and messy. The very last day, 29th September, shows a weak 4 ft from the E with a short period – not worth getting out of bed for.

So, to break it down: the first three days are a write-off. Your absolute best bet is Thursday 17th afternoon and Friday 18th morning. After that, conditions get tricky, and the end of the run is a slow fizzle. Get on it while the getting is good.

Stay salty,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Mon morning, min 17°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ENE on Mon afternoon, calm by Tue morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Thu night. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu afternoon, fresh winds from the NE by Sat afternoon).

Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
Saturday
19
Sunday
20
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
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
3
4
3
2
3
1
0
1
0
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)
2.4
ENE
7
3.5
ENE
8
3
ENE
9
2
E
9
1.9
E
9
2.5
ENE
9
1.7
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.4
E
10
1.4
E
10
2
ESE
10
2.5
ESE
9
2.3
SE
9
2.5
SE
9
3
SE
10
3
SE
10
2.5
ESE
10
2.5
E
10
1.7
ESE
10
2
ESE
10
2
E
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
594
1725
1569
664
627
1126
596
449
379
394
757
1093
809
974
1710
1645
1281
1267
588
687
783
Wind (km/h)
40
NE
50
NE
35
NNE
10
S
20
SSE
5
N
10
SE
40
SSW
25
SW
20
SW
0
SSW
10
W
0
N
20
W
10
N
20
NE
30
NE
25
NE
25
NE
35
NE
15
WSW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross
cross
glassy
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
5:22PM1.89m
5:32AM1.74m
5:47PM1.75m
5:57AM1.61m
6:10PM1.60m
6:21AM1.47m
6:34PM1.43m
6:46AM1.30m
7:00PM1.26m
7:19AM1.13m
7:45PM1.09m
11:46AM1.01m
00:35AM1.09m
Low Tide
11:09AM0.03m
11:29PM0.13m
11:35AM0.14m
11:54PM0.24m
12:01PM0.28m
00:19AM0.38m
12:26PM0.45m
00:45AM0.53m
12:53PM0.62m
1:19AM0.70m
1:29PM0.80m
3:00AM0.86m
6:08PM0.89m
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
thunderstorm
clear
clear
light rain
light rain
cloud
heavy rain
light rain
light rain
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:54
5:54
5:52
5:50
5:50
5:48
5:48
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:45
5:46
5:46
5:47
5:47
5:49
5:49
 mm
3
1
4
4
12
1
1
1
11
Temp °C
26
26
23
24
21
19
23
23
20
17
18
18
19
19
20
22
23
22
25
24
22
Feels °C
20
18
16
23
20
19
22
20
15
14
16
17
18
20
18
20
20
20
22
20
22
  • 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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