Voelklip Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mates, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the ocean’s got cookin’ for us over the next couple weeks at Voelklip. It’s a bit of a slow burn to start, so don’t go waxing up just yet. We’ve got a real dry spell for the first few days, with nothing but onshore junk and lumpy conditions. But stick with me, because there is some serious gold hidden in the back half of this forecast if you’re patient.

The First Few Days (Thursday, September 3rd – Saturday, September 5th)

Honestly, for Thursday and Friday, you’d be better off doing anything else. The swell’s there, but it’s messy. Thursday morning has a cross-shore breeze with some chop, and the energy is all over the place. By the afternoon, it’s a complete write-off. Friday is clean, but the wind is howling, and the surf quality is just not there. Saturday is the same story; clean but small, and the wind is too strong to make anything of it. It’s a good time to check your gear, have a braai, and watch the horizon.

The First Real Window (Sunday, September 6th – Monday, September 7th)

Alright, now we’re talking. Sunday morning, that south-southwest groundswell kicks in with some serious size. We're looking at about 8ft of swell with an 18-second period. The energy reading is through the roof at 4827, which is a proper pulse of power. The wind is a cross-offshore breeze, so it’ll be a bit textured but still rideable. This is a proper slab of water, and the period is long, which is what you want at a reef like this.

Then Monday afternoon is the standout of the week. The wind drops to basically nothing, with a glassy surface. The swell settles to a clean 6ft from the southwest with a 13-second period. This is prime Voelklip: that southwest direction is exactly what she loves. The water temp is at 59° Fahrenheit, which is about normal for this time of year, so grab a decent wetsuit. This is the session to circle on the calendar. The crowd can be a bit of a factor here, so get out there early.

Midweek Lull and a Quick Look (Tuesday, September 8th – Saturday, September 12th)

We see the swell drop off after Monday. Tuesday through Saturday is a mixed bag of small, weak, and inconsistent surf. The energy readings are low, and the swell period is short. It's not breaking with any real push. There might be the odd rideable wave, but conditions are either too clean with no power, or the cross-shore wind chops it up. Nothing worth getting excited about for a few days.

The Big One on the Horizon (Sunday, September 13th – Monday, September 14th)

Now, this is where it gets interesting. The models are hinting at a big one for Sunday the 13th. Swell kicks back up to about 10ft from the SSW, and the energy is back in the 3000s. The wind is strong and cross-offshore, though, so it could get a bit wild out there. This is big, powerful surf – definitely expert territory only. If you’re thinking of paddling out on a shortboard, you’d better know what you’re doing. It might be more of a show to watch from the rocks.

But the real gem is Monday, the 14th. That’s when the wind swings offshore and dies down completely. We’ve got about 8ft of swell in the morning with a light offshore breeze, and by the afternoon, it’s dead calm and glassy. 7ft from the SSW with a 13-second period. This is the definition of a clean, powerful reef break. This is the true standout of the entire forecast. If I had to pick one day over the next two weeks, it’s Monday the 14th. Mark my words.

The End of the Window (Tuesday, September 15th – Friday, September 18th)

After that, things get rough again. The west winds pick up and swing cross-onshore, messing up the surface. We get some more size on the 16th and 17th, with 6-7ft swells, but the wind is all over it, making it lumpy and choppy. The quality drops right off. It’s another one for the kite surfers, honestly, as the conditions are just messy for a paddle board. There’s still some big swell around on the 18th, but it’s cross-shore and bumpy. Not for the faint of heart.

So, to sum it up: hang tight for a few days, get after it Monday morning the 7th, but save your best energy for that clean, powerful Monday the 14th. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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