ISO 24444 / ISO 24443 EU COLIPA and SANS 1557 Verified Broadspectrum Sunscreens
Herolds Bay Surf Report
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SURF RATING
POOR
★★☆☆☆
Marginal: waist-to-chest-high waves on moderate-period swell, though onshore wind is adding chop.
WAVE
1.4 m
SWELL
1.1m @ 9s
WIND
6 km/h Onshore
WATER
15.6°C
★★☆☆☆
Marginal: waist-to-chest-high waves on moderate-period swell, though onshore wind is adding chop.
Swell: 1.1 m @ 9 s (S)
Wave height: 1.4 m
Wind: 6 km/h SW Onshore
Sea temp: 15.6 °C · Wetsuit: 4/3 mm wetsuit + booties
Best window today: 08:00–10:00 (lightest wind)
🧬 Break DNA
54% match
Today: rideable but not classic
🌊 Wave type
Reef break (left-hander)
🧭 Best swell
S groundswell, 11–16s
💨 Best wind
N 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
- Mid-period S swell at 9s is wrapping into the bank
- 5 km/h onshore wind is adding chop
- 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
4/3 mm wetsuit + booties
🧴 Bring
Reef-safe sunscreen
🧢 Bring
Boots & hood
☀️Midday:Warmer but often windier; moderate 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 23 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 1.4 m | 8 s | S | 8 km/h Onshore |
| Thu 24 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.3 m | 7 s | S | 9 km/h Onshore |
| Fri 25 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 2.2 m | 9 s | SSW | 13 km/h Onshore |
| Sat 26 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 1.5 m | 9 s | SSW | 5 km/h Onshore |
| Sun 27 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.3 m | 7 s | SSW | 13 km/h Onshore |
| Mon 28 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.1 m | 7 s | S | 10 km/h Onshore |
| Tue 29 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 2.6 m | 7 s | SSE | 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 06:16 · Sunset 18:28 · 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, 23 Sep 2026 09:13 SAST.
Aerial map — Herolds Bay
Herolds Bay
Rocks
PeakHazard rocks
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 Herolds Bay — Surf Local Knowledge
Herolds Bay is a small holiday village in a pocket bay south-west of George, hemmed in by cliffs with a compact beach and rocky reefs at either end. It is a quiet, scenic spot rather than a hardcore surf destination.
The surf is essentially a reef break offering both lefts and rights over rock, picking up distant groundswell best from the east to south-east and cleaning up on offshore north to north-westerly winds. It is rarely crowded and rewards intermediate surfers who can read reef waves, but the rocks are the main hazard and the bay is known for strong rip currents — the NSRI has publicly flagged the rips here, so swimmers and surfers should treat the water with respect.