ISO 24444 / ISO 24443 EU COLIPA and SANS 1557 Verified Broadspectrum Sunscreens
East London Surf Report
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SURF RATING
FAIR
★★★☆☆
Fair — worth a paddle: waist-to-chest-high waves on short, wind-driven swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
WAVE
1.4 m
SWELL
1.2m @ 8s
WIND
9 km/h Cross-shore
WATER
17.1°C
★★★☆☆
Fair — worth a paddle: waist-to-chest-high waves on short, wind-driven swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
Swell: 1.2 m @ 8 s (SSW)
Wave height: 1.4 m
Wind: 9 km/h NNE Cross-shore
Sea temp: 17.1 °C · Wetsuit: 3/2 mm full wetsuit
Best window today: 09:00–11:00 (lightest wind)
🧬 Break DNA
21% 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
- Short, wind-driven SSW swell at 8s is hitting at an angle
- 9 km/h cross-shore wind gives some texture
- Not fully aligned today — pick your moment on the timeline above.
🏄 When to paddle out today
🏄 Reading today’s surf…
■ 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 (UV very high)
🌅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
■ swell in ■ wind (green=offshore/good) offshore zone
Spot match
5-day wave & wind forecast
■ wave height (m) ── wind (km/h, right)
7-Day Surf Forecast
| Day | Rating | Wave | Period | Swell | Midday wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 14 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 1.4 m | 8 s | S | 23 km/h Cross |
| Thu 15 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 1.8 m | 9 s | SSW | 14 km/h Onshore |
| Fri 16 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 2.0 m | 10 s | SSW | 10 km/h Onshore |
| Sat 17 Oct | ★★★★☆ | 2.0 m | 8 s | SSW | 27 km/h Cross |
| Sun 18 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 2.3 m | 8 s | SSW | 16 km/h Cross |
| Mon 19 Oct | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.9 m | 7 s | SSE | 31 km/h Cross |
| Tue 20 Oct | ★★★★☆ | 1.4 m | 9 s | SW | 21 km/h Cross |
Daily peak wave height, mean swell period & direction, midday wind. Rating is our surf-quality score.
🌊 Today's tide (nearest station)
☀️ Sun & skin — out on the water all day
Sunrise 05:27 · Sunset 18:21 · Peak UV 8
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, 14 Oct 2026 00:13 SAST.
Aerial map — 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.