Map › Namibia › Walvis Bay › Swakopmund Rivermouth
Erongo · Swakop River mouth, southern outskirts of Swakopmund · Swakopmund
Swakopmund Rivermouth
also known as Swakop River Mouth, Tiger Reef area
Nearby Vineta Point 4 km · Donkey Bay 29 km · Walvis Bay Lagoon 30 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
Direction
Character
mixed
Typical strength
Reported ranges are 15-25 knots for the November-April season, and 17-35 knots for Walvis Bay Lagoon during November-April; no Rivermouth-specific typical range is confirmed.
Thermal or synoptic
synoptic
Also on record
The Swakopmund station's annual average is 4 kts from WSW, over observations from 2009-10-01 to 2026-07-31. The station has stopped reporting, and an all-hour average is not a kiting-session average.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan66
- Feb61
- Mar62
- Apr41
- May41
- Jun49
- Jul49
- Aug45
- Sep64
- Oct54
- Nov62
- Dec68
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
- 12Jan18°
- 12Feb18°
- 12Mar16°
- 11Apr16°
- 11May16°
- 14Jun15°
- 12Jul15°
- 12Aug14°
- 13Sep14°
- 12Oct15°
- 13Nov17°
- 13Dec17°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66% | 12.4 kt | W | 19.6°C | 18.4°C |
| Feb | 61% | 11.8 kt | W | 19.8°C | 17.5°C |
| Mar | 62% | 12.1 kt | SW | 18.4°C | 16.4°C |
| Apr | 41% | 10.6 kt | SW | 17.3°C | 15.7°C |
| May | 41% | 11 kt | SW | 17.7°C | 15.7°C |
| Jun | 49% | 13.5 kt | ENE | 17.7°C | 15.1°C |
| Jul | 49% | 12.2 kt | SSW | 15.3°C | 14.6°C |
| Aug | 45% | 11.5 kt | SSW | 13.9°C | 14.4°C |
| Sep | 64% | 12.9 kt | SSW | 14.2°C | 14.1°C |
| Oct | 54% | 11.5 kt | WSW | 15.1°C | 15°C |
| Nov | 62% | 12.5 kt | WSW | 17°C | 16.7°C |
| Dec | 68% | 12.5 kt | SW | 17.7°C | 17.2°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
waves
Tides
The offshore reef gets shallow in places at low tide, and the spot merges into Tiger Reef near the aquarium, which is also better at high tide. Tiger Reef itself works at low, mid and high, but a rising tide is generally better.
Temperature
Summer 16-20 C peak around late February at Tiger Reef; about 18 C reported in February.
Winter 13-14 C low around early August at Tiger Reef; about 13 C reported in August.
Wetsuit
Year-round wetsuit: a 3/2 mm fully sealed suit for the warmest late-February water, and 4/3 mm with 3 mm boots, or 5/3 mm for long windy sessions, during the coldest early-August period.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
2 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: ok
Somewhere else
Vineta Point, 4 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Launch off the sand around the Swakop River mouth on the south side of Swakopmund, close to the Tiger Reef beach bar. The offshore reef sits in front of the rivermouth, and the spot blends north toward Tiger Reef near the aquarium.
Space
ok
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Check the tide before you rig; low water shallows or exposes the reef in places.
- Bring a full wetsuit even in February, when the water peaks around 18 C and drops to about 13 C in August.
- Ride here for waves within reach of town, and go to Walvis Bay Lagoon for flat water, lessons and gear.
- Ask a local rider or a school before going out on a big swell; nobody has documented the rescue cover or where the reef channels sit.
Getting there
Airport
Walvis Bay Airport (WVB), about 47 km by road from Swakopmund; Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) near Windhoek is the long-haul gateway for many visitors.
Route
Drive or shuttle north from Walvis Bay Airport to Swakopmund on tar, then out to the southern beachfront and Sudstrand Street at the Swakop River mouth. Windhoek to the coast is about 4.5 hours by car.
Transfer
About 30-60 minutes from Walvis Bay Airport to Swakopmund depending on transport mode: 47.1 km road distance and about 1h 1m by taxi/bus, or about 30 minutes by car.
Cost level
mid-range
Staying
Swakopmund has town hotels, guesthouses and restaurants. Tiger Reef Campsite is right at the Swakop River mouth, with pitches, a bar and restaurant nearby, Wi-Fi, hot showers and parking.
No-wind days
surfing · sandboarding · quad biking in the dunes · skydiving · camel rides · desert day trips · birdwatching at the river mouth · restaurants and bars in Swakopmund · marine cruises from Walvis Bay
FAQ
Is Swakopmund Rivermouth suitable for beginners?
No, the setup is waves over reef and sand with a shallow reef at low tide and cold water, so it suits intermediate to advanced riders rather than first lessons.
What is the wind like?
The prevailing wind is south-westerly, sideshore and fairly constant, though no verified spot-specific average speed table was found.
What hazards should riders know?
The offshore reef becomes shallow at low tide, shorebreak grows near the jetty at low tide, and the adjacent Tiger Reef zone carries reports of rips, rocks, sharks and seals.
When is the best time to go?
No verified month-by-month wind table exists for the Rivermouth specifically; regional Namibia kite guidance points broadly to a November-April season.
Last updated: August 2026