Yzerfontein Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Yzerfontein’s got cooking for the next couple of weeks. It’s been a patchy run lately, but there are a couple of windows where it all comes together.

Kicking off on Thursday the 27th of August, Yzerfontein is a bit of a write-off. We're looking at a small cross-onshore 4.3 ft to 4.6 ft SSW swell with only 11 seconds of period, and the combined energy is sitting around 624 to 733 – just weak, mushy stuff. The water is a chilly 55°, a full 4.9° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be needing the thickest rubber you’ve got. Not worth paddling out.

Friday the 28th shows a glimmer of hope. The morning session is the real standout early in the period. The wind goes glassy – dead calm – and that WS`W` swell at 2.6 ft has a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, though the combined energy is only 655. That low energy and long period means it’ll be fat and straight at the beach, but at Yzerfontein’s beach and reef setup, the reef can offer a better line. It’ll be clean and rideable for the patient surfer.

Saturday the 29th turns average. The swell picks up to 4.6 ft with a 14-second period, but the cross-off wind keeps it clean in the morning (812 energy). By the afternoon, a fresh 19 mph cross-shore wind makes a mess of the 5.6 ft swell (1233 energy), getting lumpy. Not your day.

Sunday the 30th sees a jump in size. Swell hits 8.2 ft from the SW with 13 seconds, and the combined energy rockets to 2224 – that’s strong energy. The morning is clean with cross-off winds, but that’s big for a beach and reef spot like this. Over 8.2 ft, it’s expert territory only. The afternoon gets a fresh cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions. The water anomaly is still much colder than normal, so don’t forget the booties.

Monday the 31st drops back to a manageable 5.9-6.2 ft SW swell (978 energy), but the wind is cross or cross-on, giving you chop. Nothing exciting.

Now here’s the big one. Tuesday the 1st of September. We’ve got a solid 8.2 ft SW swell at 13 seconds, and the combined energy is 2017. The wind is light cross-on, so it’s not perfect, but there’s a decent amount of push. It’s the best of a slightly compromised bunch early in the week.

But the real headline event is on Wednesday the 2nd of September. Massive swell – 16.4 ft in the morning and 13.1 ft in the afternoon – both from the SW with a 16-second period. The combined energy is a monstrous 11470 and 8314. That is very strong wave energy. However, the finder file warns this is too big for Yzerfontein’s break. If you’re not an expert with a death wish, stay on the beach. For the experienced charger, that’s a once-in-a-while beast, but it’s a full-on big-wave day. The wind is cross-shore, which won’t help the shape. This set-up looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly.

Thursday the 3rd of September drops back to a 8.2-9.8 ft S swell, but the wind is a howling 25-28 mph cross-off. Clean, but those speeds will make paddling out a mission. The energy is still high (2322-2556), but it’s tough.

Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th have a 7.5 ft to 5.9 ft S swell (around 1253 to 690 energy). Saturday the 5th morning is the pick of this stretch – a clean offshore wind from the E with a 5.9 ft S swell at 10 seconds. Moderate energy, but clean conditions for a decent session.

From Sunday the 6th of September onwards, it fades away. By Sunday morning there’s a 3.0 ft WSW swell with a 17-second period, but only 760 energy. The wind is offshore and light, so you could get a few long-period lines, but it’s gutless.

There’s a bit of a gap from the 7th through the 10th, with small 2.6 ft to 3.9 ft swells and poor wind. Keep the board in the bag.

The outlook picks up again on Friday the 11th of September. A 6.2 ft SW swell with a 12-second period returns, with combined energy of 929. The wind is light cross-on in the morning, which is passable. The afternoon gets a cross-shore wind and a jump in energy to 1245, but it’s still marginal.

So, the true standout is the glassy Friday the 28th of August morning. For size and power, the huge Wednesday the 2nd of September is the most significant, but it’s only for the brave. For a real session without it being a survival mission, the Tuesday the 1st of September and Saturday the

Read more