Chinamans Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.29° S 136.87° E

Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 2 pm 22 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Chinamans sea temperature is
15.4° C
0.2° 

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


Chinamans surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, SW swell with 3,181 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s 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 12s 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (ACST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Sun 26th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 12s
Best Surf12AM (Mon 27th Jul)5ft (1.5m) 12s
Most Powerful 3PM (Thu 23rd Jul)10ft (3.0m) 15s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got one spot on the radar for this stretch, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get into it.

The first window of surf doesn’t show up until Friday, July 24th, with a couple of days of nothing great before that. From the 24th right through to the 6th of August, it’s a real rollercoaster. We’re looking at a classic reef break setup that’s exposed to the southwest swell, but the wind is going to be our biggest enemy for most of this run.

The main event, the standout, is shaping up to be Sunday, August 2nd, in the morning. Now, that’s a long way off, so keep that in mind, but the forecast is looking tasty. We’ve got a solid 6ft SW groundswell rolling in with a very long 17-second period, pumping in a strong 2068 units of combined energy (2068). The kicker? The wind is forecast to be glassy, dead calm, with a slight air. That’s the kind of magic that makes a reef break fire. It’s going to be clean, powerful, and those long-period lines will be wrapping perfectly around the point. With that size, it’s one for the experienced crew only – over 5ft and solid.

Leading up to that, there are some other windows with promise, but they come with caveats. Monday, July 27th, is looking decent. We’ve got a moderate offshore breeze from the N to NNW that will keep things clean through the morning and afternoon. Swell is a bit smaller, around 5ft, but with a 13-second period from the SW and moderate energy (669). It’s a good, solid, clean day, but not a standout compared to that glassy Sunday.

Tuesday, July 28th is a bigger day, but it’s trickier. The morning sees a 7ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and a moderate offshore from the NNW keeping it clean. The combined energy is a beefy 1939. That’s a serious amount of water moving. The afternoon eases the wind to a cross-off, but the swell builds to 8ft. That’s expert territory, and the long period means it’ll be a bit straight at a beach break, but on a reef like this, the channels should be working. It’s a solid day, but the crowd at Chinamans is listed as “sometimes,” so expect company.

The rest of the period is a write-off for quality surfing. The end of July and start of August are plagued by strong onshore and cross-onshore winds, with hefty swell that’s just going to be a messy, lumpy, choppy mess. We’re talking strong 15-18 mph winds from the south and southeast that will ruin the surface. For a few days there, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, but that’s not what we’re after.

The water temperature is sitting at 60°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual to report there.

So, to wrap it up: the first recommendation is a slow start, but keep your eye on Sunday, August 2nd, for what could be a truly special morning at Chinamans, if the forecast holds. The days around the 27th and 28th of July are your next best bets for cleaner, smaller waves.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Thu afternoon). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon night, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
1
2
2
3
2
1
1
2
2
4
3
3
3
3
3
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SW
12
2.3
SW
15
2.5
SW
14
3
SW
15
2.4
SW
16
2.3
SW
15
2.1
SW
14
1.8
SW
14
1.8
SW
13
1.5
SW
13
1.4
SW
12
1.3
SW
12
1.3
SW
11
1.5
SW
12
0.9
SW
13
1.4
SW
13
1.4
SW
14
2
SW
16
2.3
SW
16
2
SW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
833
2295
2544
3181
2832
2418
1888
1236
1037
710
570
469
461
604
299
669
825
1884
2513
1718
Wind (km/h)
25
WSW
25
SSW
30
S
25
SSW
15
SSW
15
WSW
25
WSW
25
W
15
SW
20
WSW
20
WSW
15
W
15
WNW
15
NNW
15
NNW
20
N
20
NNW
25
NNW
15
NNE
15
E
Wind State
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-on
High Tide
4:25PM0.58m
8:11AM0.76m
10:19AM0.78m
11:59AM0.84m
12:49PM0.90m
1:24PM0.96m
2:45AM0.37m
1:54PM1.01m
2:43AM0.41m
Low Tide
11:42PM0.22m
11:35PM0.23m
11:03PM0.24m
10:07PM0.23m
9:39PM0.22m
9:34PM0.20m
6:03AM0.32m
9:37PM0.19m
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:24
7:24
7:22
7:22
7:22
7:20
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:31
5:32
5:34
5:34
5:35
5:36
5:36
 mm
1
2
1
1
Temp °C
14
12
12
12
12
12
13
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
16
14
15
15
Feels °C
8
5
5
5
6
7
7
11
11
10
11
12
11
12
10
10
12
8
11
10
  • 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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