Vredenberg Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the outlook for our region. We've got a mixed bag coming our way, so let's break it down.

We're starting off this Friday morning, July 31st, with a clean, 4ft SW groundswell at Vredenberg Point. The water's sitting at 57°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – you'll want a good steamer. The wind is light and offshore from the east, making for some clean lines. The combined energy is moderate at 435. It's not huge, but it's a fun, manageable size for an intermediate surfer. The crowd situation is "sometimes" here, so you might have some company, but nothing crazy. This is a nice, gentle start to the run.

As we move into Saturday, August 1st, the swell picks up a touch to 4ft from the WSW. Saturday morning looks very good with light offshore ENE winds, and the energy jumps to 672. Saturday afternoon is even better – the wind swings to the SSE and goes glassy, with the swell holding at 4ft. That afternoon session is going to be absolutely clean.

Sunday, August 2nd, keeps the quality up. The morning offers a clean 4ft SW swell with a light cross-offshore breeze from the north. Then, Monday morning, August 3rd, is a standout. We're looking at glassy conditions with a 4ft SW swell, and the combined energy is pumping at 972 – that's some serious push for the size. For my money, that Monday morning glass-off is the best of the first week.

However, the pattern shifts Monday afternoon. The swell jumps to 6ft, but a strong SSW cross-onshore wind kicks up, making things choppy. The energy is strong at 1193, but the quality drops.

Tuesday, August 4th, is a write-off with messy cross-shore and onshore winds, and a dropping swell. We get a brief break Wednesday morning, August 5th, with a solid 8ft SW swell and moderate energy (2765), but the wind is cross-shore and the period drops to 11 seconds. Thursday and Friday, August 6th and 7th, see the swell explode to 10ft and 13ft. This is too big for Vredenberg Point – it's expert-only territory, and the wind is just adding chop. The energy readings are off the charts, hitting 5137 and 6144, but for a standard surfer, this is a pass.

We then hit a real lull. From Saturday, August 8th, through Monday, August 10th, the swell hangs around but the winds are mostly cross-shore or onshore, with a lot of chop and poor conditions. The energy is dropping from 2345 down to 738. It's just not worth paddling out.

Then, on Tuesday morning, August 11th, we get a redemption window. Look for a clean 6ft groundswell from the WSW with a long 14-second period, and light cross-offshore winds. The energy is strong at 1356. This is great for a point break – the long period will give it shape and power, perfect for an intermediate. This is your second standout of the run.

But again, it's short-lived. The afternoon gets choppy, and Wednesday, August 12th, brings a massive 10ft SW swell. The energy is huge at 3416, and while the wind is offshore and clean, it's just too big for most of us – strictly for experts.

From Thursday, August 13th, to the end of the forecast on Saturday, August 15th, it's a mixed bag of messy onshore winds and a few marginal windows. The final Saturday morning, August 15th, shows a gigantic 13ft WSW groundswell with a 15-second period and energy at 6330. The wind is only a gentle cross-shore, but the size is just plain intimidating. Unless you're a pro, stay on the beach and watch the show.

So, to sum it up: the first week has some real gems, especially Monday morning, August 3rd, and Tuesday morning, August 11th. The middle of the run is a lot of oversized, messy, or blown-out surf. The long-range stuff is huge and for experts only.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty.

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