Chinamans Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.29° S 136.87° E

Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 8 pm 24 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Chinamans sea temperature is
15.4° C
0.3° 

Chinamans surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Chinamans surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 31 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, WSW swell with 3,331 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Chinamans this week:

The surf forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Chinamans in the next 16 days are 3.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 6s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 12PM.

Wave TypeTime (ACST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Sun 26th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 11s
Best Surf 9AM (Fri 31st Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 15s
Most Powerful 9AM (Tue 28th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, me old mates. Rusty here, coming to you live from the coastline. We’ve got a 16-day window to look at, and for the first few days, there’s not much to write home about. The first real whisper of decent surf isn’t until Sunday the 26th, so those first couple of days are a bit of a write-off.

Alright, let’s get into the meat of it. The first spot that’s worth paddling out for is Chinamans. This is a proper reef break, so you’ll need your wits about you. Sunday morning the 26th is a bit of a slow starter, with a clean 4ft swell rolling in from the southwest. The wind is light and cross-off, so the lines will be clean, but it’s not exactly gonna have you hooting from the lineup. The water’s about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Now, hold onto your board, because things get interesting. The real standout in this whole forecast is the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August. Saturday the 1st of August is looking absolutely prime. The morning sees a clean 6ft SW swell with a very long period of 16 seconds, and the wind is light and cross-off. Then, the afternoon goes glassy. Absolutely glassy. A 5ft swell with a 22-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and it’s going to be smooth as butter. The combined energy is a solid 3550 (moderate), but the quality is off the charts for those who know what they’re doing. This is a break for advanced surfers, and on a day like this, it’ll be a session you’ll remember.

Then Sunday the 2nd of August is just as good. An 8ft SW swell (18-second period) in the morning, clean again, with a combined energy of 3681 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-off. This is big enough to be a handful for the beginners, but for the experienced crew, it’s a dream. The afternoon holds at 8ft with a 17-second period, still clean. The crowds are a possibility here, as it’s a known spot, but on days like these, you’ll be fighting for waves.

The first week of August sees a few smaller, clean days, but nothing that matches that epic weekend. The 5th of August has a strong offshore wind, but it’s a bit of a battle to get out. The 8th of August has a glassy afternoon on a 4ft, 15-second swell, which is a nice little session if you’re keen.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are a right-off, don’t bother. The weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August is the absolute standout. If you can get out there, do it. It’s a long-range call, but it’s looking like a proper corker. The rest of the window is a bit of a mixed bag, with some clean but smaller days.

Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Sun morning, strong winds from the NW by Mon afternoon).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon night, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Mon night, light winds from the SSE by Wed night).

Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
0
2
4
2
0
2
2
3
2
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SW
14
1.7
SW
13
1.6
SW
13
1.5
SW
12
1.3
SW
11
1.3
SW
12
1.1
SW
12
1.4
SW
13
2.3
W
10
2.5
WSW
12
3
WSW
15
2.2
SW
14
2.4
SW
14
2.5
SW
15
2.3
SW
14
1.8
SW
13
1.6
SW
13
1.4
SW
13
1.1
SW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1325
961
851
614
461
427
338
651
1017
1753
3331
1956
2358
2684
2114
1197
821
701
471
Wind (km/h)
25
W
20
SW
25
WSW
15
SW
10
W
15
NW
25
NNW
35
NNW
45
NW
35
W
30
SW
30
SW
20
S
15
S
15
SSW
5
SSE
10
S
15
SW
10
W
Wind State
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
11:59AM0.84m
12:49PM0.90m
1:24PM0.96m
2:45AM0.37m
1:54PM1.01m
2:43AM0.41m
2:20PM1.04m
2:54AM0.45m
2:44PM1.05m
3:10AM0.51m
Low Tide
11:03PM0.24m
10:07PM0.23m
9:39PM0.22m
9:34PM0.20m
6:03AM0.32m
9:37PM0.19m
6:55AM0.27m
9:44PM0.17m
7:35AM0.24m
9:54PM0.16m
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
rain showers
cloud
cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:22
7:22
7:22
7:20
7:20
7:20
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:34
5:35
5:36
5:36
5:37
5:37
 mm
2
1
1
1
Temp °C
14
14
15
14
14
14
14
15
16
14
13
13
12
12
12
11
12
12
12
Feels °C
9
10
11
10
12
11
11
6
6
6
6
7
5
9
8
7
9
8
8
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Chinamans Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Chinamans provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Chinamans can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Chinamans surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Chinamans) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Chinamans may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Are you planning a holiday in Yorke Peninsula? If you are looking for accommodation near Chinamans, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Yorke Peninsula, consider staying in Kingscote which is 80 km (50 miles) away.

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