
Surf Forecasts:
Whale Rock surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 17s period, S swell with 3,514 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s 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 2.4m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 5AM. 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 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whale Rock over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Whale Rock over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with ya—this stretch is a real mixed bag, and for a lot of it, there just ain’t much to get excited about. The good news is there’s a couple of windows where it all lines up, and they’re worth waitin’ for.
For starters, we’ve got a long dry spell. From the very first records on Thursday 3rd September right through till Saturday 12th September, it’s pretty grim. The swell is mostly small, or it’s blown out with cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions. The combined energy is mostly low to moderate (264 to 1150), and even when the swell gets up in size, the wind ruins it. There’s no decent surf on offer for over a week. It’s the kind of quiet run that tests your patience, but don’t lose hope—things shift in the second week.
Now, the standout. That’s gonna be Sunday 13th September. After a rough stretch, we get a real moment of magic. On Sunday afternoon, Whale Rock lines up for a glassy session. Swell is a solid 8 ft from the S at 10 seconds, with light SSE winds and that magic word—*glass*. Combined wave energy is very strong (1249). The water temp is about 68°F, which is actually slightly cooler than average for this time of year—about 1° cooler, nothin’ too extreme, but you might notice a bit of freshness. This is a session for experienced surfers; that size is too much for beginners, but for the crew who know how to handle it, the conditions should be excellent. The offshore direction is optimum for this break too.
Straight after that high point, Monday 14th September and Tuesday 15th September bring more messy, blown-out conditions as cross-onshore winds from the NE pick up again, and the swell gets big—over 10 ft—but it’s messy and lumpy.
Further out, on Thursday 17th September, we get another interesting moment. The morning shows a 8 ft swell from the SSW at 9 seconds, with WSW cross-offshore winds (moderate breeze) and clean conditions. Combined energy is strong (1376). This one is a bit more of a gamble, being further ahead, but the setup is promising for experienced surfers.
So, bottom line: the first week is a write-off. Keep your board in the car for Sunday 13th September afternoon—that’s your best bet by a long shot—and keep an eye on Thursday 17th morning as a backup. It’s not a classic run, but that glassy Sunday is the real deal.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 58mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 24°C on Thu morning, min 15°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Thu night, light winds from the NE by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ENE on Mon afternoon, light winds from the NE by Tue morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 7 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 11 | S 10 | SSW 22 | S 18 | S 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 15 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
308 | 263 | 233 | 2326 | 1773 | 948 | 540 | 222 | 297 | 221 | 560 | 3034 | 1977 | 857 | 224 | 240 | 123 | 79 | 30 | 22 | 53 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:17PM1.38m | 7:37AM1.16m | 8:19PM1.19m | 9:14AM1.01m | 10:43PM1.09m | 12:16PM1.06m | 00:52AM1.19m | 1:33PM1.26m | 1:51AM1.35m | 2:19PM1.46m | 2:33AM1.49m | 2:56PM1.63m | 3:09AM1.60m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:55PM0.33m | 1:36AM0.46m | 1:46PM0.51m | 2:53AM0.62m | 3:33PM0.67m | 5:39AM0.64m | 6:28PM0.62m | 7:16AM0.48m | 7:43PM0.44m | 8:04AM0.30m | 8:29PM0.27m | 8:41AM0.15m | 9:06PM0.14m | ||||||||
6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
— | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | |
mm | — | — | 36 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 26 | 25 | 22 |
Feels °C | 23 | 22 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 24 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SSW 11 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | E 10 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 11 | S 10 | SSW 10 | S 18 | S 16 | SSW 15 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | S 9 | ENE 8 |
115 | 263 | 266 | 145 | 50 | 948 | 540 | 222 | 297 | 221 | 167 | 3034 | 1977 | 857 | 224 | 240 | 123 | 621 | 482 | 16 | 450 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | S 11 | — | NE 9 | E 10 | SSW 9 | S 9 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSW 22 | SSE 16 | — | SSE 13 | SSW 14 | S 18 | SW 13 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 15 | SW 14 |
70 | 92 | 82 | — | 20 | 49 | 141 | 157 | 128 | 54 | 560 | 50 | — | 59 | 210 | 6 | 42 | 79 | 30 | 22 | 53 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | SE 4 | SW 12 | — | S 18 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 12 | E 10 | E 10 | S 13 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SW 11 | SE 9 |
55 | 1 | 50 | — | 6 | 116 | 140 | 157 | 74 | 100 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 14 | 25 | 5 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | — | S 7 | S 10 | SSE 10 | — | NE 8 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 5 | E 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 |
308 | — | 233 | 2326 | 1773 | — | 3 | 108 | 65 | 68 | 392 | 282 | 527 | 778 | 666 | 595 | 657 | 1043 | 725 | 433 | 759 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 20 | 0 | 25 | 956 | 2849 | 238 | 289 | 289 | 37 | 289 | 289 | 289 | 434 | 434 | 266 | 186 | 629 | 70 | 43 | 43 | 1 |
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.










