ISO 24444 / ISO 24443 EU COLIPA and SANS 1557 Verified Broadspectrum Sunscreens
Wilderness Surf Report
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SURF RATING
FAIR
★★★☆☆
Fair — worth a paddle: waist-to-chest-high waves on moderate-period swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
WAVE
1.4 m
SWELL
1.0m @ 8s
WIND
9 km/h Cross-shore
WATER
16.0°C
★★★☆☆
Fair — worth a paddle: waist-to-chest-high waves on moderate-period swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
Swell: 1.0 m @ 8 s (SSE)
Wave height: 1.4 m
Wind: 9 km/h SW Cross-shore
Sea temp: 16.0 °C · Wetsuit: 4/3 mm wetsuit + booties
Best window today: 08:00–10:00 (lightest wind)
🧬 Break DNA
48% match
Today: rideable but not classic
🌊 Wave type
Beach break
🧭 Best swell
S groundswell, 11–16s
💨 Best wind
N offshore
🏄 Board
Shortboard
📈 Skill
Beginner-friendly on the smaller days
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 SSE swell at 8s is wrapping into the bank
- 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
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 | ★★★☆☆ | 1.5 m | 8 s | S | 9 km/h Onshore |
| Thu 24 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.2 m | 7 s | SSE | 11 km/h Onshore |
| Fri 25 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 2.2 m | 10 s | SSW | 9 km/h Onshore |
| Sat 26 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 1.5 m | 9 s | SSW | 11 km/h Onshore |
| Sun 27 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.4 m | 8 s | SSW | 15 km/h Onshore |
| Mon 28 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.1 m | 8 s | S | 11 km/h Onshore |
| Tue 29 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 2.1 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 18:27 · Peak UV 5
Surfers & anglers get the highest UV dose of anyone. Recommended: SPF 30+, reapply every 2 hours and after every session.
Shop SPF 30+ sunscreen →Surf/wave: Open-Meteo Marine. Sun/UV/pressure: Open-Meteo. Tides: Stormglass model. Solunar is an approximate guide. Generated Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:13 SAST.
Aerial map — Wilderness
Beach break
Rip
PeakRip current
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 Wilderness — Surf Local Knowledge
Wilderness sits on a long, open arc of sand east of George where the lakes and the Touw River meet the sea beneath a backdrop of forested dunes. It is a wide, exposed beach with room to spread out and a laid-back village feel.
The surf is a beach break with multiple shifting peaks along the sand, catching plenty of south-west swell and offering lefts and rights that suit beginners and intermediates on the smaller, cleaner days. It is best on light offshore north-westerly winds and a moderate swell. The main hazards are powerful rip currents and a heavy undertow when the surf is up — this beach is well known for its rips, so pick your peak carefully and stay within your depth.