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East London Surf Report

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SURF RATING
FAIR
★★★☆☆
Fair — worth a paddle: chest-to-head-high waves on short, wind-driven swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
WAVE
1.7 m
SWELL
1.2m @ 6s
WIND
13 km/h Cross-shore
WATER
17.6°C

★★★☆☆

Fair — worth a paddle: chest-to-head-high waves on short, wind-driven swell, with a little cross-shore texture.

Swell: 1.2 m @ 6 s (E)

Wave height: 1.7 m

Wind: 13 km/h NE Cross-shore

Sea temp: 17.6 °C · Wetsuit: 3/2 mm full wetsuit

Best window today: 09:00–11:00 (lightest wind)

🧬 Break DNA
26% match
Today: off its ideal window today
🌊 Wave type
Beach & reef
🧭 Best swell
SE groundswell, 11–16s
💨 Best wind
NW offshore
🏄 Board
Shortboard
📈 Skill
Intermediate–advanced
Ideal wind & swell are derived from the way this coast faces; break type is local knowledge. Match blends today’s swell angle, wind & period.

🌊 Why it’s reading like this right now

Cross-shore windwave direction
  • Short, wind-driven E swell at 6s is hitting at an angle
  • 12 km/h cross-shore wind gives some texture
  • Not fully aligned today — pick your moment on the timeline above.
East London surf mission card
Save or screenshot, then send it to your crew on WhatsApp.

🏄 When to paddle out today

🏄 Reading today’s surf…
00:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 13km/h Cross01:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 12km/h Cross02:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 11km/h Cross03:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 10km/h Cross04:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 10km/h Cross05:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 9km/h Cross06:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 7km/h Cross07:00 — Clean (★★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 6km/h Offshore08:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 6km/h Cross09:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.7m chest-head · 2km/h Cross10:00 — Marginal (★★) · 1.6m chest-head · 5km/h Onshore11:00 — Marginal (★★) · 1.6m chest-head · 10km/h Onshore12:00 — Marginal (★★) · 1.6m chest-head · 14km/h Onshore13:00 — Marginal (★★) · 1.6m chest-head · 15km/h Onshore14:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m chest-head · 13km/h Cross15:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m chest-head · 15km/h Cross16:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m chest-head · 16km/h Cross17:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m chest-head · 18km/h Cross18:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m chest-head · 15km/h Cross19:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m waist-chest · 18km/h Cross20:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m waist-chest · 18km/h Cross21:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m waist-chest · 15km/h Cross22:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m waist-chest · 11km/h Cross23:00 — Fun (★★★) · 1.5m waist-chest · 9km/h Crossnow00:0006:0012:0018:0024:00
■ epic   ■ clean   ■ fun   ■ marginal   ■ flat   ■ dawn/dusk · tap an hour

🎒 Pack for this session

🏄 Board
Shortboard
🤿 Wetsuit
3/2 mm full wetsuit
🧴 Bring
Reef-safe sunscreen
🌅Dawn window:Best quality, coolest — usually the quietest crowd
Crowd estimate is a comfort/timing proxy from conditions & day of week — not a live crowd count.
Swell & wind
NESW
■ swell in   ■ wind (green=offshore/good)   offshore zone
Spot match
Swell anglePeriodSizeWindSea state
5-day wave & wind forecast
WedThuFriSatSunMon0.0m1.3m2.6m01427now
■ wave height (m)   ── wind (km/h, right)

7-Day Surf Forecast

DayRatingWavePeriodSwellMidday wind
Wed 9 Sep ★★☆☆☆ 1.7 m 6 s E 14 km/h Onshore
Thu 10 Sep ★★★☆☆ 1.4 m 6 s E 12 km/h Cross
Fri 11 Sep ★★★★☆ 1.6 m 11 s SSW 10 km/h Cross
Sat 12 Sep ★★★★☆ 1.4 m 8 s S 24 km/h Cross
Sun 13 Sep ★★★☆☆ 2.5 m 7 s SE 15 km/h Cross
Mon 14 Sep ★★★☆☆ 2.5 m 7 s E 24 km/h Cross
Tue 15 Sep ★★☆☆☆ 2.0 m 7 s ENE 6 km/h Onshore

Daily peak wave height, mean swell period & direction, midday wind. Rating is our surf-quality score.

🌊 Today's tide (nearest station)

00:0006:0012:0018:0024:00H 02:34L 08:44H 14:58L 21:08now

☀️ Sun & skin — out on the water all day

Sunrise 06:14 · Sunset 17:57 · Peak UV 6

Surfers & anglers get the highest UV dose of anyone. Recommended: SPF 50, reapply every 2 hours and after every session.

Shop SPF 50 sunscreen →

Surf/wave: Open-Meteo Marine. Sun/UV/pressure: Open-Meteo. Tides: Stormglass model. Solunar is an approximate guide. Generated Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:13 SAST.

Aerial map — East London

Crayonised aerial map of East London
Orient Beach
Peak

Hand-styled from NGI 0.25 m national aerial. Markers show the peak, channel & hazards — indicative local knowledge, not live conditions or navigation advice; tides, banks, rips & hazards change, so use your own eyes on the day.

About East London — Surf Local Knowledge

East London is South Africa's only river port, set at the mouth of the Buffalo River in the Eastern Cape. Its coastline packs several distinct spots into a short stretch — the sheltered Orient Beach by the harbour, the open sand of Eastern Beach, and the famous reef at Nahoon just to the north — giving surfers everything from protected beginner waves to serious reef.

Conditions favour south to south-west groundswells with offshore winds from the west through north-west, and winter is the most reliable season. Eastern Beach and Orient offer beach-break waves for a range of abilities, while Nahoon Reef nearby is the standout for stronger surfers. Crowds concentrate at the reef on good days. Hazards include rip currents on the open beaches, rocks and urchins on the reefs, and East London has a genuine shark presence, so keep your wits about you.

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