Whale Rock Surf Break

Lat Long: 31.94° S 29.22° E

Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 09 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whale Rock sea temperature is
20.2°C
0.2° 

Whale Rock surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Whale Rock surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, E swell with 1,069 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s 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 Friday (Sep 11) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 16s period. 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 2.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 10s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Fri 11th Sep)2.5ft (0.7m) 16s
Best Surf 5AM (Tue 15th Sep)7.5ft (2.3m) 10s
Most Powerful 5AM (Tue 15th Sep)7.5ft (2.3m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whale Rock over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got the lowdown on the next few weeks. Let’s be real, the first part of it is a tough watch. There’s a real dry spell.

The only break in the game is Whale Rock. It’s a reef, so it’s for the advanced crew, and it’s inconsistent, meaning it needs a lot of things to click. The first faint glimmer of hope is Sunday the 13th of September. The morning is a bit of a mess with a cross-onshore wind, but the swell energy is a beast – a reading of 1335. The swell is 4 ft from the SSW with a super long period of 16 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, so it’s got power, but the wind kills the vibe. It’s a marginal day, and it’s the best we’ve got for a while.

The second week has a few more pulses, but it’s still a game of patience. On Tuesday the 15th, the morning brings a 6 ft E swell at 10 seconds, but it’s cross-onshore and choppy. The energy is solid at 824. Then on Wednesday the 16th of September, the afternoon gets a bit hectic. We’re looking at a 10 ft SSW swell, but it’s a short period of 8 seconds and a messy cross-shore wind. That’s expert-only territory, and it looks more like a kite-surfing zone than a clean paddle session.

The one that’s got my hopes up is Saturday the 19th of September. The morning shows a 8 ft ESE swell with a nice 12-second period. The combined energy is a massive 1857, and the swell is coming from the ESE, which is exactly what this spot wants. The big letdown is the wind – it’s a moderate cross-onshore, making it lumpy. Even so, the size and power from that direction is a rare treat for Whale Rock. If the wind was offshore, it would be a dream. For the experienced surfers, this is the one to circle on the calendar, but it’s a long way off, so don’t get too attached.

After that, it’s a slide back into mediocrity. Sunday the 20th has a 6 ft ESE swell, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore, making it messy. The rest of the week is just choppy, onshore windswell. The wind is a constant battle here, and with the break’s inconsistency, it’s a tough run.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 19°C on Sat morning). Mainly strong winds.

Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SSE
11
0.4
SSE
10
0.4
SSE
10
0.3
SSE
10
0.2
SSW
15
0.7
SSW
17
0.6
SSW
15
0.4
SSW
14
0.7
S
7
0.8
S
8
1.7
ENE
6
0.8
SSW
19
1.1
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
1.8
E
8
0.7
SSW
14
0.5
SSW
13
0.4
SSW
12
1.9
E
10
0.4
SSW
11
0.3
SSW
22
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
64
34
41
20
23
252
144
73
58
72
194
419
597
493
407
175
101
58
683
41
92
Wind (km/h)
20
NE
25
NE
20
NE
10
NE
20
SW
30
SW
20
S
10
SE
15
ENE
25
ENE
30
ENE
20
ENE
15
ENE
20
ENE
25
ENE
45
NE
40
NE
0
E
15
SSE
20
ENE
5
NW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
off
High Tide
2:56PM1.63m
3:09AM1.60m
3:29PM1.76m
3:41AM1.67m
4:00PM1.82m
4:12AM1.69m
4:29PM1.83m
4:40AM1.67m
4:57PM1.78m
5:08AM1.61m
5:23PM1.69m
5:34AM1.52m
5:48PM1.56m
Low Tide
8:41AM0.15m
9:06PM0.14m
9:14AM0.03m
9:39PM0.04m
9:45AM-0.03m
10:09PM0.00m
10:14AM-0.05m
10:38PM0.01m
10:42AM-0.02m
11:05PM0.05m
11:09AM0.05m
11:31PM0.13m
11:35AM0.15m
11:56PM0.24m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
thunderstorm
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:09
6:09
6:07
6:05
6:05
6:03
6:01
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:51
5:51
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:53
5:53
 mm
1
3
1
Temp °C
24
23
22
29
22
19
20
20
19
20
20
20
22
21
20
22
23
23
22
21
20
Feels °C
22
21
21
28
20
18
19
19
19
18
17
17
22
21
20
16
17
24
21
19
19
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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