Vredenberg Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag around here. There’s plenty of swell on the cards, but the wind is going to be the main player, and it’s not always going to be our friend. The early window is looking too big and messy for the spot we’ve got our eyes on, and we’ll have to bide our time for the cleaner windows. There’s a standout right at the end of the month, but for now, we’re looking at a waiting game.

The first real opportunity we see is Monday morning, August 17th. There’s a solid, clean-looking 10ft of WSW swell with a 13-second period, and the wind is a light N cross-off. The energy is strong, with a combined reading of 2586. But, here’s the catch – that size is just too much for this break. It’s a point break, but 10ft is pushing it into expert-only territory, and the forecast notes it’s too big. So while it’s clean, it’s not really on for the average surfer. The water temperature is a notable 56°, which is a couple of degrees colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want the thick suit. That afternoon, the wind swings W and goes cross-on, dropping the quality and the score – it’s a miss.

The rest of that week, from Tuesday the 18th through Friday the 21st, is pretty forgettable. The wind stays strong from the south, keeping things lumpy and cross-shore. The swell drops a touch, but the energy stays moderate, with readings like 1667 and 1887, and the conditions just get chopped up. Wednesday and Thursday see the swell bounce back to 8-10ft, but the south wind is blowing 15-19 mph, making it a messy, bumpy mess. Not worth paddling out for a fight. Friday looks smaller, around 6ft, but the wind gets even stronger, hitting 22 mph, and it’s all cross-onshore junk.

The weekend of the 23rd and 24th is more of the same – solid swell but poor conditions. Saturday morning brings a clean-ish 7ft at 13 seconds, but a moderate S cross-shore wind chops it up. The energy is moderate at 1457. That afternoon the wind kicks up to 22 mph and it gets messy. Sunday is similar, with a fresh cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions.

Now, here’s where things start to get interesting. Early on Wednesday, August 26th, we get a clear window. The swell is a more manageable 7ft from the SW, with a 13-second period, and the wind is a light SE cross-off. The energy is moderate at 1321, but the conditions are described as clean. The forecast calls it excellent for experienced surfers. This is a solid option. The light offshore wind is a big positive, and the size is pushing it for the intermediates, but the quality is there.

Then, Thursday, August 27th, in the morning, we might have the pick of the week. The swell drops to a clean 5ft from the WSW with a 12-second period, the wind is virtually nothing at 3 mph from the N, and it’s glassy. The energy is weak at 685, but for a point break, that clean 5ft glass is going to be fun, and it should be user-friendly. The forecast notes “very good surf conditions.” This is a great one for a longboard or a mid-length. Keep an eye on it though, as that glassy window is short-lived, with a cross-on wind arriving by the afternoon.

After that, it’s another stretch of poor conditions through the end of the month. The wind stays stuck in the south, and even gets stronger. By the 29th and 30th of August, we’re looking at strong breezes and near gale-force winds, making it unsurfable. The energy is moderate, but the wind is the story, and it’s a bad one.

Looking further out, into the first week of September, there’s a potential standout on the horizon. The morning of Monday, September 1st, shows a big 12ft SW groundswell with a very long 15-second period. The wind is light from the N. The combined energy is strong at 4881. But again, that size is a problem. It’s too big for this break, a major caveat. And the long period, while powerful, can make a point break like this dump and close out. So, while the potential is huge, it’s also a serious danger. The following morning, September 2nd, is similar, with 10ft and a light N cross-off, but again, it’s just too big.

So, to sum it up: the next two weeks are a test of patience. There’s no shortage of swell, but the wind is mostly against us. The standout is that glassy Thursday morning, August 27th. The best bet for a bigger, more powerful session would be Wednesday morning, August 26th, when it’s clean at 7ft. Everything else is either too small, too messy, or too big to be any fun. Stay patient, keep the calendar marked for that morning, and be ready to go when the wind finally plays nice.

Rusty

Read more