
Surf Forecasts:
Whale Rock surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s period, E swell with 1,832 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 17s period with SSW 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 6s. 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 2.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 10s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whale Rock over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let's talk about what's on offer at Whale Rock over the next couple of weeks.
We've got a tough start at Whale Rock. The wind is a mess on Monday the 27th, with a fresh 19 mph cross-breeze ruining the 5 ft swell. The combined energy is moderate at 479. It’s not looking good. The water temperature is 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.
Tuesday the 28th is a write-off, with more rain and strong cross-onshore winds. The swell jumps up to 7 ft on the afternoon but it’s just lumpy, messy chop. The combined energy is strong at 1195, but it’s not doing us any favors.
Now, Wednesday the 29th is where things get interesting. The morning is still a bit iffy with a light onshore breeze, but the afternoon is a golden window. We get a 6 ft SE swell with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind swings to a glassy NNE breeze at only 3 mph. The break is a reef, so that long period could still shape up nicely, but the duration is a bit short. The combined energy is moderate at 849. This is the standout for the first week. It’s clean, glassy, and the surf will be clean. Just a heads up, this spot is inconsistent and when it’s good, it draws a crowd, so expect some company.
Thursday the 30th has a clean cross-offshore wind in the morning with a 6 ft SE swell, but conditions are described as marginal. Friday the 31st is another good call with a clean, offshore wind in the morning and glassy conditions in the afternoon. The swell is 7 ft and 6 ft respectively, with a moderate combined energy around 843 and 683. It’s clean, but not quite as good as Wednesday.
We then hit a rough patch. From Saturday the 1st of August through to Tuesday the 5th, the wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore from the NE, often strong, and the surf is poor. The swell sticks around 7 ft to 8 ft, but the cross-chop makes it a mess. The combined energy hits 1573 on Sunday the 2nd, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore. It’s a classic "kite-surfing looks more fun" setup for a beach and reef spot like this.
The second week is a bit of a mixed bag. Wednesday the 6th and Thursday the 7th are still marginal, with cross-onshore winds and short period swell. The energy drops off. Then on Saturday the 9th of August, the swell direction swings to the south with a very long period of 14 seconds. The combined energy is very strong at 2247, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore. It’s a promising long-range setup, but the wind isn't perfect. The 10th of August has a similar story with a 6 ft S swell and a 14-second period, but the cross-on wind keeps it from being a standout. The 11th of August is the end of the run, with a drop in swell to 3 ft.
So, the call is clear. For the whole 16-day window, the very best session is Wednesday afternoon, the 29th of July. It’s the only day with a glassy, clean forecast. Friday the 31st is a solid backup. Beyond that, it’s a case of watching the wind and hoping for the best.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 92mm), heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Tue afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Mon afternoon, calm by Tue night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the NE by Sat afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 6 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSE 8 | SSW 14 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 15 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
190 | 867 | 724 | 629 | 515 | 473 | 427 | 405 | 537 | 675 | 660 | 621 | 493 | 534 | 547 | 568 | 745 | 1177 | 1520 | 1783 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 3:07PM1.32m | 3:13AM1.42m | 3:38PM1.42m | 3:43AM1.50m | 4:08PM1.52m | 4:12AM1.56m | 4:36PM1.59m | 4:40AM1.59m | 5:04PM1.64m | 5:09AM1.59m | 5:33PM1.66m | 5:38AM1.57m | 6:02PM1.65m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:05PM0.39m | 9:26AM0.26m | 9:37PM0.31m | 9:55AM0.17m | 10:08PM0.24m | 10:22AM0.10m | 10:37PM0.19m | 10:49AM0.06m | 11:07PM0.17m | 11:17AM0.05m | 11:37PM0.17m | 11:45AM0.07m | 00:09AM0.20m | |||||||
— | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | |
mm | — | 12 | 26 | 16 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | E 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 13 | E 10 | E 10 | S 10 | E 11 |
71 | 867 | 724 | 551 | 402 | 473 | 427 | 294 | 537 | 675 | 660 | 621 | 493 | 309 | 547 | 33 | 745 | 1177 | 19 | 1783 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | S 6 | ENE 9 | E 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SE 9 | SW 13 | — | SE 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SW 16 |
142 | 94 | 28 | 15 | 515 | 419 | 312 | 273 | 362 | 367 | 290 | 222 | 131 | 132 | 46 | — | 148 | 24 | 21 | 64 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | ENE 7 | S 11 | ENE 6 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 15 | ESE 11 | — | — | — | SSW 17 | SW 15 | SW 18 | — | SSW 11 | S 14 | S 13 | S 10 |
147 | 21 | 9 | 4 | 43 | 87 | 110 | 405 | 24 | — | — | — | 59 | 56 | 12 | — | 25 | 4 | 13 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | — | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 3 | — | ESE 8 | — | E 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 | ENE 11 |
190 | — | 437 | 629 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 534 | — | 568 | 1043 | 1591 | 1520 | 2521 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 238 | 0 | 214 | 643 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 163 | 290 | 37 | 221 | 266 | 16 |
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.










