Whale Rock Surf Break

Lat Long: 31.94° S 29.22° E

Whale Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whale Rock sea temperature is
20.9° C
0.1° 

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 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SW swell with 2,013 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 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 Friday (Jul 17) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m 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 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Fri 17th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 11s
Best Surf 5AM (Mon 20th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 10s
Most Powerful 5AM (Mon 20th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Right, folks. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks.

The swell window is open for Whale Rock, but it’s a mixed bag overall. There’s a solid run of S to SSW groundswell, but the wind is going to be the main character in this story, and it’s a moody one. The water is sitting at 70°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

We’ve got a few windows of absolute magic, but they’re short. The standout is Sunday, 19 July. The morning is glassy with a clean 4ft S swell at 11 seconds, and the afternoon is even better – glassy again, with a 5ft SE swell still at 11 seconds. That’s going to be pure, lined-up reef waves. The combined energy is moderate (695 to 786), but the quality will be top-notch. The period is solid, so expect some proper sets with good shape. If you can only get out once, this is the day.

Thursday morning, 24 July is another cracker. Glassy conditions, 4ft SSW swell at 13 seconds, and a combined energy of 585. It’s a smaller day, but that’s a beautiful, clean wave. The crowd is a concern, though – it’s a spot that can get busy, so get in early.

Looking further out, Monday morning, 27 July has a pulse of energy with a 5ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, and the combined energy is strong at 1895. The wind is offshore from the SW, which is clean. The swell is big, but it’s not too big for experienced surfers, though the 16-second period means it’ll be a bit more powerful and walled-up at a reef. That’s a serious, long-range groundswell – well worth the wait, but keep an eye on the forecast as it gets closer.

There are plenty of days where the wind ruins the party. The NE trades get strong, or the SW winds howl, making it choppy and messy. The later part of the window, from 30 July onwards, drops right off into tiny, weak surf with poor conditions. That’s a gap of about four or five days of really nothing to write home about.

So, for the best of the bunch: Sunday 19 July is the absolute winner. Glassy, clean, and consistent. Sunday morning is the pick, but both sessions are ace. After that, Thursday 24 July morning and Monday 27 July morning are your next best bets.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Mon night). Mainly strong winds.

Fri
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
2
2
3
3
3
4
3
0
3
1
0
2
1
0
2
0
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
SSW
13
1.2
SSW
11
0.8
S
13
1.4
S
12
1.3
S
11
1.1
S
11
1.4
SE
11
1.5
SE
12
1.5
SE
12
1.5
SE
12
1.3
SE
11
1.1
SE
11
1
SE
11
0.8
SSW
14
1
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
13
1.7
SSW
8
1.6
SSW
7
1.1
SSW
12
1
SSW
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
461
325
219
544
394
282
471
593
603
603
461
308
237
236
390
304
319
279
361
254
Wind (km/h)
10
S
10
NNW
5
SW
10
SSW
10
WNW
5
SSE
5
S
15
WSW
5
ENE
20
ENE
10
NNW
10
NE
25
NE
15
N
15
NNE
40
SSW
20
WSW
20
SSW
15
S
10
NW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross
off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
6:02PM1.69m
6:10AM1.52m
6:40PM1.62m
6:47AM1.42m
7:18PM1.51m
7:23AM1.30m
7:56PM1.39m
8:04AM1.18m
8:41PM1.26m
8:56AM1.06m
9:43PM1.15m
10:27AM0.98m
11:22PM1.10m
Low Tide
00:10AM0.19m
12:17PM0.09m
00:48AM0.28m
12:52PM0.20m
1:27AM0.38m
1:28PM0.32m
2:08AM0.49m
2:08PM0.45m
2:59AM0.58m
2:59PM0.58m
4:14AM0.66m
4:23PM0.67m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:00
7:00
6:58
6:58
6:58
6:58
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:16
5:17
5:17
5:19
5:19
5:20
5:21
 mm
Temp °C
20
18
19
20
18
19
19
18
18
19
18
23
25
22
26
32
20
19
19
18
Feels °C
18
19
17
17
17
18
17
17
17
17
15
19
20
19
21
27
14
15
15
17
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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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