
Surf Forecasts:
Chinamans surf forecast from 8 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 17s period, SW swell with 6,256 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m 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 3.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 11) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming our way.
We’ve got a classic winter stretch ahead for Chinamans. The surf is already running with a solid 7ft Southwest groundswell, but the wind's a bit messy right now, so we’re looking at the coming days for the real clean windows. The water’s sitting at 60°, which is pretty much spot on for the time of year, nothing weird there.
Wednesday afternoon is a write-off. There’s a 7ft SW swell out there, but the cross wind has it looking messy and marginal. Best to just wait it out.
Now Thursday is where it starts to get good. Thursday morning we’ve got a clean 5ft SW groundswell with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE. The energy is moderate (1083), and it’s building. But Thursday afternoon is the real gem. That swell bumps up to a clean 6ft from the SW, period stretches to 17 seconds, and the wind goes fully offshore from the NW. The energy picks up (2134), and that wave will have some serious push. That’s the standout of this first part of the forecast.
Friday morning keeps the good times rolling with a clean 5ft SW swell and a moderate offshore from the NNW. Solid energy (1232) and the wave quality will be excellent for those who know the peak. The afternoon fades a bit with stronger wind and a drop in quality.
The weekend gets wild and ugly. Saturday we’re looking at a messy 10ft windswell with barely 8 seconds of period and a screaming 28 mph onshore wind. That’s not surf, that’s a washing machine. The energy is moderate (1103 – 1874) but totally blown out. Sunday is still chunky with 8ft swell but the wind is cross-off and strong, keeping it rough. That whole weekend stretch is a pass, and only a kite surfer would be having fun there.
We get a clearer picture moving into the new week. Monday the 13th sees a thumping 12ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, but the wind is cross and strong. The combined energy is moderate to strong (5796). By Monday afternoon, the wind backs off slightly and the energy jumps to a whopping 6519. Still strong winds but the wave shape might be there for experts. Tuesday the 14th is the absolute peak of this swell – a 10ft SW groundswell, 16-second period, and the energy hits a massive 8135 by morning. The wind is cross-off but fresh. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it’s only for the experienced crew. For a surfer who can handle it, that's a proper session.
After that, the swell starts to fade mid-week. Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th see onshore winds ruining the quality as the swell drops back to 5ft. A gap of poor conditions there.
Then we get another nice little window. Friday the 17th afternoon is looking glassy. A 5ft SW groundswell with no wind at all – that’s the kind of conditions you dream of at this break. The energy is moderate (1123), and it’ll be clean and rippable.
We have a small, clean window on Saturday the 18th with a 3ft SW swell and offshore wind, but it's small. The real long-range standout is Sunday the 19th. A solid 6ft SW groundswell with a very long 19-second period and a fresh offshore from the north. The energy is moderate (2392). That combination of a long-period groundswell and clean offshore wind at Chinamans is a recipe for some proper, lined-up reef waves. That’s the one to circle on the calendar.
Monday the 20th brings very strong offshore winds and a long-period 3ft swell (21 seconds!), but it’ll be tough to paddle into, even if it’s clean. Tuesday the 21st afternoon has a marked improvement with an 12ft WSW groundswell, 16-second period, and a light cross-off breeze. Exceptional for experts. After that, the swell hangs around but the wind turns cross and onshore, and by Thursday the 23rd, it’s all gone again.
Overall, the best on offer is Thursday afternoon the 9th for a classic, easy session, and Sunday the 19th for the long-period groundswell with offshore winds for the dedicated crew who know the reef.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Wed night, near gales from the WSW by Sat morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sat afternoon, moderate winds from the W by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 8 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2355 | 1420 | 844 | 1837 | 1613 | 1232 | 949 | 668 | 1103 | 1874 | 2708 | 2436 | 1767 | 2233 | 5189 | 5115 | 6256 | 5406 | 4136 | 2627 | 1784 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 5:04PM0.64m | 8:06AM0.78m | 9:43AM0.87m | 11:10AM0.97m | 12:14PM1.07m | 1:22AM0.26m | 1:06PM1.16m | 1:50AM0.30m | 1:51PM1.21m | 2:20AM0.37m | |||||||||||
Low Tide | 00:07AM0.25m | 00:21AM0.23m | 00:38AM0.23m | 1:01AM0.23m | 9:31PM0.21m | 3:57AM0.24m | 9:29PM0.18m | 5:42AM0.21m | 9:42PM0.16m | 6:52AM0.17m | |||||||||||
— | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | |
5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | 5:27 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | — | — | — | S 25 | SSW 23 | SW 18 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
2355 | 1420 | 844 | 1837 | 1613 | 1232 | 949 | 668 | — | — | — | 12 | 53 | 607 | 419 | 1404 | 2861 | 2729 | 2032 | 2627 | 1784 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 20 | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 23 | SW 22 | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 239 | 297 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 118 | 188 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | WNW 5 | WSW 8 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 90 | 1103 | 1874 | 2708 | 2436 | 1767 | 2233 | 5189 | 5115 | 6256 | 5406 | 4136 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 74 | 1034 | 717 | 1034 | 729 | 162 | 162 | 1326 | 1332 | 162 | 540 | 726 | 682 | 32 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Yorke Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











