
Surf Forecasts:
Whale Rock surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 12 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 9s period, ESE swell with 864 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whale Rock this week:
The surf forecast for Whale Rock over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Whale Rock in the next 16 days are 2.4m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 16) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whale Rock over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s headed our way for the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a long, tough stretch ahead with very few windows of clean surf. The pattern is mostly messy, with cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions dominating the forecast. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Thursday the 20th, and even then it’s a short-lived moment.
The focus is on Whale Rock, a reef setup that’s inconsistent and best left for the advanced crew. The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so nothing wild there.
The first few days are a write-off. We’ve got moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds, lumpy seas, and swell heights that are either too small or too messy to bother with. The combined energy readings are all over the place, but the conditions are just poor. Wednesday the 12th has a 7 ft SE swell with a short 8-second period and easterly wind thrashing it – that’s a no-go. Thursday the 13th isn’t any better, with a 4 ft E swell and cross-on breeze. Friday the 14th, Saturday the 15th, Sunday the 16th… all the same story. Cross-shore chop, moderate wind, and poor surf. There’s a morning on the 15th with 5 ft E swell, but it’s still cross-shore and only rated as marginal. The 16th has a 6 ft E swell with a longer 11-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore again, ruining any chance of clean waves.
We finally get a bit of a breather on Thursday the 20th. The morning window is the standout. We’ve got a 4 ft S swell coming in with a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the SW. The combined energy is solid at 768, and the report says to expect very good surf conditions. This is your best shot in the whole outlook. The light wind will keep the surface glassy, and that reef will handle the S swell well. Just remember, this spot is inconsistent and for advanced surfers only, so it won’t be firing every set, but when it does, it’ll be worth it.
After that, it gets messy again. Friday the 21st has an 8 ft SSW swell with a short 8-second period and strong cross-shore wind – mighty powerful with energy at 1262, but the wind and short period mean it’ll be a lumpy, walled-up mess for experts only. Saturday the 22nd offers a flicker of hope with a 5 ft SSW swell and a long 17-second period in the morning, plus a clean cross-offshore breeze in the afternoon. The energy is high (1371 in the morning), but the conditions are still only marginal. The long period will make those waves fat and straight at this reef, but the wind is clean.
The final week is a flat, frustrating run. From Sunday the 23rd onward, the swell drops off, the winds turn onshore or cross-shore again, and the energy readings fall away. There’s a morning on the 24th with a 4 ft S swell and a good 15-second period, but the cross-onshore wind kills it. After that, it’s mostly 3 ft or less, with light wind ripples and choppy conditions through to the 27th.
So, take it from me: the only true standout is Thursday the 20th morning at Whale Rock. That’s your clean, offshore window with a solid S swell. Get on it if you can, because after that, we’re waiting a long time for anything decent.
Stay salty,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Wed night, fresh winds from the NE by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 17°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | E 9 | E 10 | E 8 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 | E 7 | SW 16 | E 7 | E 7 | SW 14 | E 7 | E 11 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 15 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SW 14 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
545 | 390 | 414 | 204 | 346 | 280 | 189 | 64 | 226 | 233 | 8 | 329 | 834 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 392 | 273 | 300 | 33 | 230 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 3:49PM1.69m | 4:02AM1.67m | 4:26PM1.78m | 4:36AM1.68m | 5:00PM1.80m | 5:09AM1.65m | 5:32PM1.77m | 5:40AM1.59m | 6:02PM1.69m | 6:09AM1.49m | 6:31PM1.56m | 6:38AM1.37m | 6:59PM1.42m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:35AM0.05m | 9:57PM0.08m | 10:10AM-0.03m | 10:33PM0.04m | 10:42AM-0.06m | 11:07PM0.05m | 11:14AM-0.03m | 11:39PM0.10m | 11:43AM0.04m | 00:10AM0.19m | 12:12PM0.15m | 00:39AM0.29m | 12:41PM0.28m | 1:08AM0.42m | |||||||
6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 10 | E 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | E 10 | SW 16 | E 7 | E 7 | E 10 | E 7 | E 11 | S 11 | E 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
545 | 250 | 414 | 204 | 59 | 147 | 100 | 64 | 226 | 233 | 530 | 329 | 834 | 2 | 496 | 520 | 392 | 273 | 300 | 412 | 230 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | SSW 11 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | S 9 | E 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | S 12 | S 11 | SW 12 | S 10 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 5 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 13 |
202 | 109 | 133 | 116 | 346 | 280 | 103 | 6 | 104 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 21 | 33 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | S 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | S 10 | S 9 | S 11 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | — | SW 11 | — | SW 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 5 | S 5 | SW 8 |
193 | 51 | 121 | 176 | 175 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | — | 5 | — | 5 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | E 9 | ENE 5 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 8 | SSW 4 | SSW 6 | — | ENE 9 | ENE 7 | SSW 5 |
327 | 390 | — | — | 291 | 56 | 189 | 332 | 316 | 247 | 372 | 419 | 1227 | 1152 | 691 | 20 | 74 | — | 452 | 346 | 27 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 643 | 643 | 0 | 154 | 289 | 163 | 221 | 289 | 16 | 16 | 186 | 3 | 186 | 289 | 16 | 1 | 289 | 0 | 187 | 114 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Whale Rock Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Whale Rock provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Whale Rock can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whale Rock 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 (Whale Rock) 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 Whale Rock 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.
Whale Rock is 47 km (29 miles) from the city of Port Saint Johns. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Port Saint Johns. Port Saint Johns has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











