Yzerfontein Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee, let me talk you through the next two and a bit weeks at Yzerfontein. It’s a mixed bag, a bit of a slow start, a sweet window right in the middle, and then we’re staring down the barrel of some serious size later on.

The surf kicks off on Monday the 10th, but to be honest, it’s a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a solid 8ft SSW swell but the wind is howling cross-off from the SSE at 19 mph. It’s messy and you’ll be fighting the chop. The swell energy is moderate (2731), but it’s not going to be a fun paddle. Not worth rushing for.

Tuesday the 11th is when things start to turn. Morning is your call. The swell has eased a touch to 7ft from the SSW, but the key is that offshore wind. A clean 12 mph breeze from the east. The swell period is a lovely 12 seconds, giving you some real grunt and shape. The combined energy is moderate (1339). This is clean, well-formed surf for an intermediate or above. Not a beginner day though, that 6ft+ mark is a bit much if you’re learning.

Then Wednesday the 12th is the absolute standout. This is the real gem of the forecast. Swell drops a fraction to 6ft but it’s a proper groundswell out of the WSW with an 18-second period. That’s proper, long-period energy (2283). Combined with clean offshore winds from the east at 12-16 mph, Yzerfontein is going to be lined up and glassy. The optimum swell direction is WSW too, so it’s hitting the break perfectly. This is one for your diary. It will be clean, powerful, and for experienced surfers - a proper Wednesday session.

Thursday the 13th still has size at 8ft from the WSW and a long 18-second period (3267), but the wind swings cross-off from the NNE, which is a bit less ideal and makes it harder to manage. It’s still big and clean, but not as pure as Wednesday. By Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th, the swell drops back to the 6ft-6ft range. Friday afternoon has a nice light breeze, and Saturday afternoon goes glassy with a light SSW breeze and 6ft WSW swell (1110). Sunday the 16th morning is the same – dead glassy, 6ft at 14 seconds (1280). That Sunday morning window is your other great chance for clean, mellow lines before the wind picks up.

Now, heads up for the week starting Monday 17th August. The swell is forecast to absolutely pump. You’re looking at 10ft-12ft from the WSW with periods of 14-16 seconds. The combined energy is very strong (5163 and above). This is expert territory only. It’s going to be too big for almost everyone, especially at a beach-and-reef setup like this. The wind is cross or cross-off, so it will be clean, but it’s basically a big-wave day. The set-up looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing given the sustained strength.

After that big pulse, it gets messy through the 18th and 19th with dropping swell and lumpy cross-shore winds. Then we get a bit of a lull from the 20th to the 22nd. The 20th has some small 4ft-6ft swell but with short periods (8 seconds) or wrong directions. The 21st and 22nd are pretty poor with weak energy (675 down to 242), small waves (3ft) and onshore or lumpy winds. That’s three days of nothing much.

Then, looking at the long-range crystal ball, the weekend of the 23rd-25th shows another massive pulse building again: 10ft-12ft WSW swells with very long periods (14-18 seconds) and combined energy going through the roof (over 5000). This is the same story – too big for the average surfer. The morning of the 23rd has a really clean 6ft WSW swell with an 18-second period and light wind (3054), which is a standout hint in the long range, but beyond that, it’s back to big, expert-only territory. So keep an eye on that, but don't get too attached yet.

Water temp at the moment is sitting around 56°F, which is nearly 4°F colder than normal for this time of year. That’s a bit nippy, so you’ll want the thick rubber.

Best bets: Wednesday the 12th is the absolute king. Sunday the 16th and Saturday the 15th afternoon are the best of the rest. For the long range, keep a very cautious eye on the morning of the 23rd. The rest is either too small, too messy, or too big.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty

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