
Surf Forecasts:
Chinamans surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 29 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 8,000 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s 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 30) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Chinamans in the next 16 days are 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks.
First up, we’ve got a bit of a dry spell to kick things off. The real action doesn’t start until Monday the 27th of July, and even then, it’s a bit of a tease. Monday morning at Chinamans (reef) is seeing a clean 4 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and a fresh offshore breeze from the NNW. The water is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing weird there. The combined energy is moderate (937), but it’s a low-scoring session, so it’s not the one to get excited about. Monday afternoon gets a bit bigger at 5 ft, still offshore, but the wind is up to 25 mph, making it hard work to paddle into.
Tuesday the 28th is a write-off. The swell jumps to 8 ft in the morning and 10 ft in the afternoon, but it’s hammered by strong cross-shore winds and rain. The energy is pumping (3506 and 3970), but the conditions are just messy. That’s for the experts only, and even then, it’s not great.
Wednesday the 29th is still tricky. 10 ft in the morning with a 16-second period and moderate cross-shore wind, but it’s lumpy. The energy is strong (4586), but the quality is marginal. The afternoon drops to 8 ft but the wind turns cross-onshore, so it’s choppy.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 30th of July is the standout. The swell drops to 6 ft in the morning, but the wind goes glassy – ESE at 3 mph. That’s dead calm, clean as a whistle. The period is 13 seconds, so it’s a decent groundswell, and the energy is moderate (991). The afternoon is just as good, with 5 ft and glassy conditions. This is your best bet for the near-term. The reef will handle that long period well, so it’s clean, shapely, and not too big.
Friday the 31st keeps it clean with 4 ft and a gentle cross-off breeze. Fun, small waves for a longboard or a fish. The energy is light (520), but it’s a nice little session.
Saturday the 1st of August sees a jump in size. Morning is 6 ft with a 17-second period and a fresh offshore from the N. The energy is moderate (1747). The afternoon gets better: 7 ft, 18-second period, moderate offshore from the NNW. That’s a solid, powerful swell, but it’s clean. The energy is strong (3056). This is a promising day, but it’s a week away, so keep an eye on it.
The following week is a mixed bag. Sunday the 2nd is cross-shore and messy. Monday the 3rd has 8 ft but onshore wind. Not great. Tuesday the 4th is small and clean-ish but nothing special.
The next real highlight comes on Thursday the 6th of August afternoon. 6 ft, 16-second period, light cross-off breeze from the NNE. The energy is moderate (1651), and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. Clean, solid, and the reef will love that long period. That’s a good one.
Friday the 7th also looks good, with a gentle offshore in the afternoon, 6 ft, 15-second period. Clean and fun.
After that, the wind picks up again. Saturday the 8th is bigger, 7 ft, but the wind is strong, so it’s only for the brave. Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th are blown out by strong winds and rain, with the swell staying over 7 ft. Not worth it.
The last few days, Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th, drop off to small, weak swell (5 ft and 4 ft) with strong winds. The window closes.
So, the best on offer is Thursday the 30th of July – glassy, clean, and a solid 5 ft to 6 ft. That’s the one to circle. The second best is the afternoon of the 6th of August, with clean conditions and a bit more size. Get out there when you can.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NW on Mon afternoon, light winds from the SE by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the NW by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 11 | WSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
647 | 824 | 1485 | 3506 | 3970 | 8000 | 4586 | 2880 | 1639 | 991 | 821 | 543 | 363 | 404 | 528 | 1702 | 3047 | 2180 | 1591 | 1474 | 3227 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:24PM0.96m | 2:45AM0.37m | 1:54PM1.01m | 2:43AM0.41m | 2:20PM1.04m | 2:54AM0.45m | 2:44PM1.05m | 3:10AM0.51m | 3:07PM1.04m | 3:30AM0.57m | 3:28PM1.00m | 3:52AM0.63m | 3:48PM0.94m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:34PM0.20m | 6:03AM0.32m | 9:37PM0.19m | 6:55AM0.27m | 9:44PM0.17m | 7:35AM0.24m | 9:54PM0.16m | 8:10AM0.21m | 10:04PM0.16m | 8:44AM0.20m | 10:14PM0.15m | 9:18AM0.21m | 10:24PM0.15m | ||||||||
7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
— | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | |
mm | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 |
Feels °C | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | WSW 13 | — | — | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
647 | 824 | — | — | — | 8000 | 4586 | 2880 | 1639 | 991 | 821 | 543 | 363 | 404 | 380 | 1702 | 3047 | 2180 | 1591 | 1474 | 3227 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 24 | SW 22 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SSW 21 | WNW 5 | W 7 | — | W 6 | — |
290 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 19 | 113 | 388 | 528 | 45 | 9 | 8 | — | 89 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 22 | SSW 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 20 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 188 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | WSW 11 | WSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | N 4 | — | N 4 | N 4 | N 5 | NW 6 | — | — |
58 | 64 | 1485 | 3506 | 3970 | 6633 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | — | 28 | 26 | 54 | 154 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 160 | 472 | 168 | 540 | 1034 | 1189 | 1055 | 263 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 81 | 81 | 160 | 728 | 472 | 32 |
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.










