
Surf Forecasts:
Chinamans surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 9 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, SW swell with 6,632 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 16s 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 Saturday (Sep 12) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 16s period. 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 19s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Sunday (Sep 13) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Chinamans over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a heap of swell energy on the way, but it’s gonna take a few days before the wind plays nice. For the first few days, from Wednesday the 9th through to the start of the weekend, the ocean’s gonna be working – solid 8ft to 10ft SW groundswell with a very long period around 16 to 19 seconds, so there’s plenty of power in the water (combined energy readings in the 6000 to 2000 range). The problem is the wind. It’s blowing hard from the SE and ESE, smashing that swell into a choppy, cross-onshore mess. The water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is about average for this time of year. For a spot as exposed as Chinamans, this setup is pretty much a write-off for a paddle board. If you’re into kites, though, it’d be a different story.
The first real glimmer of hope comes early Saturday morning the 12th. The swell drops a little to 6ft from the SW, but the wind swings around to a light NNE breeze, turning cross-offshore. That’s a clean, glassy look for the morning, and the combined energy is still a respectable 1437. It’s not huge, but it’ll be the best wave of the first few days. Still, it’s only a marginal call, not a standout.
Now, if you can hold out, the real good stuff kicks in the following week. Wednesday the 16th is where it’s at. The morning sees a solid 8ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and the wind is a light NNE cross-off. That’s clean, powerful, and the combined energy is a strong 3221. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The afternoon is just as good with 8ft and a light WNW breeze. This is the standout window of the whole outlook.
The good conditions carry through Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th, with clean 5ft to 6ft SW groundswell and light offshore or cross-off winds. Gentle, clean, and fun. Not the big stuff, but perfect for a long session.
Stay away from Saturday the 19th – the wind is gonna howl from the north at 25 mph, making it hard to even paddle out, even though it’s offshore.
The real wildcard is the very end of the outlook. Monday the 21st and Thursday the 24th of September are showing a huge pulse of SW swell – 10ft to 12ft with a very long 17 to 18-second period. The combined energy is massive (over 5000 and up to 13000). The wind looks light and variable, so it’ll be a true groundswell. This is only for the experts, and with that long period, it’s gonna be a freight train. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it’s got the potential to be the best of the whole run.
Right, that’s the gist of it. Chinamans is a fickle beast, but there’s a couple of windows there that’ll make it all worth it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SE on Wed morning, light winds from the ESE by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
6632 | 5921 | 4553 | 3293 | 2692 | 1585 | 1271 | 2008 | 1875 | 1437 | 1281 | 663 | 823 | 793 | 535 | 387 | 1136 | 442 | 2293 | 2125 | 1849 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:12PM0.89m | 1:56AM0.47m | 1:43PM0.90m | 2:08AM0.60m | 2:11PM0.87m | 2:29AM0.72m | 2:36PM0.82m | 2:51AM0.82m | 2:58PM0.75m | 3:15AM0.88m | 3:16PM0.68m | 3:39AM0.92m | 3:32PM0.60m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:23PM0.10m | 7:02AM0.17m | 8:25PM0.08m | 7:47AM0.09m | 8:34PM0.06m | 8:25AM0.05m | 8:44PM0.04m | 9:00AM0.04m | 8:56PM0.02m | 9:32AM0.06m | 9:08PM0.02m | 10:02AM0.10m | 9:19PM0.02m | ||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
Feels °C | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
6632 | 5921 | 4553 | 3293 | 2692 | 1585 | 1271 | 2008 | 1875 | 1437 | 1281 | 663 | 823 | 793 | 535 | 387 | 418 | 442 | 2293 | 2125 | 1849 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SW 26 | S 25 | SSW 18 | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | NE 4 | N 4 | W 4 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 27 | 13 | 209 | — | — | — | — | 387 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 95 | 154 | 260 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 214 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 3 | ENE 3 | — | — | N 4 | NNE 4 | N 4 | W 5 | — | WSW 4 | SW 18 | SE 3 | — | — | ESE 4 |
58 | 42 | 40 | 20 | 13 | 16 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 8 | 15 | 24 | 9 | — | 3 | 1136 | 2 | — | — | 8 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1202 | 1233 | 29 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 79 | 160 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 738 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Yorke Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










