
Surf Forecasts:
Whale Rock surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 11s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 2,081 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s 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 (Aug 07) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s. 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 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) 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 1.0m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whale Rock over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s get into it. We’ve got Whale Rock on the radar, and honestly, the outlook is a mixed bag. It’s an advanced reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so when it’s on, it’s a treat, but we’ve got to wait for the right windows.
The water’s sitting at 70°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.
The first real chance of anything decent kicks off Thursday morning, the 6th of August. There’s a 2ft swell from the southwest, with a long period of 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is a cross-offshore from the southwest, so it’ll be clean. The combined energy is moderate (531). It’s a solid start, but the tide conditions might be a bit tricky, so don’t expect perfection. Still, it’s the best on offer for the start of the run.
Friday morning, the 7th, sees a bit more size at 3ft from the south-southwest, with a 13-second period. The wind is light and cross-off, so it’s clean again. The energy is moderate (427). This is the standout for the early part of the period. It’s a solid, clean option.
Saturday morning, the 8th, has a 3ft swell from the south-southwest with a 15-second period, making for a powerful wave. The energy is strong (707). The wind is cross-shore from the northeast, so it’s a bit of a cross-shore chop, but it’s still rideable.
Sunday morning, the 9th, has a 3ft swell but the wind kicks up to a moderate 15 mph cross-off. It’s clean, but the tide conditions are iffy. Later that afternoon, the swell jumps to 8ft, but the period drops to a short 7 seconds, and the wind is howling at 25 mph. That’s a messy, powerful mess – only for the brave.
Monday the 10th brings a massive 12ft swell from the south-southeast, with a short 10-second period. The energy is through the roof (2133), but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. This is a beast, but it’s not for paddling. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Tuesday the 11th has a 4ft swell from the south-southwest with a 14-second period. The energy is strong (1082). The wind is light and cross-onshore, so it’s a bit textured, but it’s a decent option.
After that, the forecast gets a bit grim. From Wednesday the 12th through to the 21st of August, the conditions are mostly poor, with a mix of onshore winds, short-period windswell, and choppy surfaces. There are a few brief windows of cleaner conditions, like the morning of the 17th with a 5ft easterly swell and a cross-off wind, but it’s not a standout.
The best of the whole run is definitely Friday morning, the 7th of August. That 3ft south-southwest swell with light cross-off winds and a 13-second period will be clean and fun. The other real highlight is Thursday morning, the 6th, for that long-period groundswell.
Alright, that’s the skinny on it. Keep your eyes peeled, and don’t be afraid to sit a few out. This is Whale Rock, after all.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Thu morning, light winds from the SE by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 13°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SW on Sun afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Tue morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 7 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
251 | 191 | 595 | 289 | 210 | 475 | 468 | 362 | 250 | 377 | 594 | 982 | 2049 | 1151 | 535 | 465 | 867 | 511 | 416 | 434 | 491 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 8:10AM1.18m | 8:54PM1.28m | 9:33AM1.06m | 10:39PM1.20m | 11:51AM1.05m | 00:36AM1.24m | 1:28PM1.20m | 1:50AM1.37m | 2:25PM1.38m | 2:42AM1.50m | 3:10PM1.55m | 3:24AM1.61m | 3:49PM1.69m | 4:02AM1.67m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:18PM0.45m | 3:27AM0.56m | 3:43PM0.57m | 5:27AM0.59m | 5:54PM0.59m | 7:11AM0.48m | 7:30PM0.46m | 8:12AM0.32m | 8:30PM0.31m | 8:57AM0.17m | 9:17PM0.18m | 9:35AM0.05m | 9:57PM0.08m | ||||||||
6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
— | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 23 | 24 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 22 | 24 | 16 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | ENE 10 | SSW 15 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSW 13 | ESE 7 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 10 |
149 | 118 | 595 | 289 | 210 | 475 | 468 | 362 | 160 | 377 | 64 | 47 | 41 | 1151 | 535 | 286 | 867 | 188 | 189 | 107 | 52 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SSW 15 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 6 | E 6 | SSW 14 | ENE 9 | SE 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | E 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SE 8 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 19 |
251 | 191 | 92 | 85 | 85 | 64 | 74 | 68 | 250 | 113 | 9 | 47 | 43 | 46 | 140 | 331 | 196 | 511 | 25 | 36 | 212 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | — | E 10 | E 10 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 13 | — | SSW 14 | E 10 | SSW 14 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 24 | SW 22 | SSW 11 |
29 | 18 | 5 | 53 | 67 | — | 65 | 108 | 28 | 20 | 9 | 18 | — | 41 | 46 | 465 | 65 | 58 | 55 | 119 | 47 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | S 6 | — | — | NE 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | — | SSW 4 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | S 8 | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 8 |
131 | 91 | — | — | 6 | 52 | 100 | — | 26 | 48 | 594 | 982 | 2049 | — | — | — | — | 414 | 416 | 434 | 491 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 114 | 500 | 1 | 0 | 446 | 254 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 39 | 2846 | 629 | 461 | 23 | 0 | 25 | 70 | 23 | 154 | 643 | 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.











