Chinamans Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.29° S 136.87° E

Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 8 am 19 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Chinamans sea temperature is
15.6° 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 19 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 3,483 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 19s 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 19) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Chinamans in the next 16 days are 2.5m 16s 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 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (ACST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12PM (Sun 19th Jul)2ft (0.6m) 19s
Best Surf12AM (Mon 20th Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 16s
Most Powerful 3PM (Thu 23rd Jul)8ft (2.5m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, listen up. We’ve got a solid run of swell coming through, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag on the wind front. The first few days are looking clean, then things get a bit messy in the middle of the week before potentially cleaning up again. The standout period is definitely Sunday and Monday, with some of the best conditions we’ll see.

Let’s start with your spot, Chinamans. It’s a reef setup, so it’s a bit more forgiving than a beach break, but it’s still for the more experienced crew. The water’s sitting at 60°, which is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing crazy.

Sunday, July 19th: We’re kicking off with a nice, clean morning. There’s a moderate offshore breeze from the North at 12 mph, and we’ve got a 3 ft groundswell from the southwest, with a long 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate (398). It’s not massive, but it’ll be clean and fun. The afternoon looks even better with the same wind, a similar swell, but a very long 18-second period, pushing the energy up to 712. It’s a very good session on the cards.

Monday, July 20th: This is the pick of the early run. Monday morning sees a bit more size with 4 ft of SW groundswell, 15-second period, and a clean offshore breeze from the NNW at 12 mph. Energy is strong at 707. By afternoon, things get really interesting. The swell bumps up to 5 ft with the same period and direction, but the wind eases to a gentle 9 mph offshore. The combined energy jumps to 1045, and the report says it’s excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle.

Tuesday, July 21st: Still a good day. The swell holds at 5 ft in the morning, with a 13-second period and a gentle offshore breeze. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-off wind, but it’s still clean. Energy is still strong (821 in the morning, 688 in the afternoon). A solid day.

Wednesday, July 22nd through Saturday, July 26th: This is where the wind turns ugly. We’re looking at a solid 6 ft to 8 ft swell, but it’s going to be blown out by fresh to strong onshore and cross-shore winds. The combined energy is massive, hitting 5294 on Thursday afternoon, but the word is "poor" or "marginal" with lumpy, choppy conditions. For a reef setup like this, it’s probably not worth the paddle. There’s a glimmer of hope on Friday afternoon and Sunday morning with some cross-off or clean wind, but it’s still a gamble.

Monday, July 27th: The swell drops back to 4 ft, but the wind is onshore. It’s a write-off.

Tuesday, July 28th: Back to form. We’ve got a 3 ft swell from the SW with a 15-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the NNW. Energy is moderate (365). It’s a return to clean, good surf.

Wednesday, July 29th to Thursday, July 30th: The swell picks up to 5 ft on Wednesday, but the wind is a cross-off, so it’s clean. The energy is solid (861). Thursday morning looks very good with a 4 ft SW swell, 12-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the North (589 energy). It’s a good window.

Friday, July 31st: The wind is cranking out of the North at 28 mph. It’s offshore, which is clean, but that’s a howling gale. The swell is tiny (2 ft to 3 ft). It’s going to be a battle to get out and not much to ride. Hard pass.

Saturday, August 1st: The wind is a near-gale from the West at 34 mph. The swell is 5 ft to 6 ft, with a very long 18-19 second period. The energy is very high (1313 to 2059), but it’s just too dangerous with that wind. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday, August 2nd: The wind drops to a moderate breeze, with a cross-off in the afternoon. The swell is a clean 6 ft to 6 ft from the SW with a 15-16 second period. Energy is high (1584 to 1882). This is a promising afternoon session.

Monday, August 3rd: The last day of the forecast. We’ve got a 8 ft groundswell from the SW with a very long 18-second period, and a fresh offshore breeze from the NNW at 22 mph. The energy is cranked up to 3850. For a reef break, this long-period groundswell could be epic if the direction lines up perfectly, but it’s a big swell. The wind is a bit fresh, so it might be a bit wild. This one is for the experts.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

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

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds.

Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
4
3
4
4
3
3
1
1
0
2
0
0
2
3
2
1
2
1
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SW
12
0.9
SW
18
1.4
SW
16
1.3
SW
15
1.6
SW
15
1.8
SW
14
1.6
SW
13
1.5
SW
13
1.2
SW
12
1.8
SW
14
1.9
SW
12
2.5
SW
15
2.5
SW
14
2.5
SW
16
2.3
SW
15
2.1
SW
15
1.9
SW
14
1.9
SW
14
1.8
SW
13
1.8
SW
13
1.6
SW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
212
522
940
714
1045
1307
821
688
409
1218
1100
3093
3009
3483
2553
1889
1484
1398
1067
1050
811
Wind (km/h)
20
N
20
N
15
N
20
NNW
15
NNW
15
N
15
NNW
10
WNW
20
NW
35
SW
30
SSW
25
SW
20
S
20
SSW
20
SW
25
W
30
W
30
WSW
25
WSW
25
SW
10
SSE
Wind State
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
on
High Tide
4:36PM0.90m
5:25AM0.72m
4:53PM0.77m
6:08AM0.75m
4:58PM0.66m
6:59AM0.76m
4:25PM0.58m
8:11AM0.76m
10:19AM0.78m
11:59AM0.84m
Low Tide
10:13AM0.27m
11:14PM0.19m
10:59AM0.36m
11:28PM0.20m
11:50AM0.45m
11:38PM0.21m
1:03PM0.53m
11:42PM0.22m
11:35PM0.23m
11:03PM0.24m
10:07PM0.23m
cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
clear
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:26
7:26
7:26
7:24
7:24
7:24
7:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:30
5:30
5:30
5:31
5:32
5:34
5:34
 mm
1
1
1
1
2
1
Temp °C
13
14
16
14
15
15
14
14
15
13
12
12
11
11
12
12
12
14
14
14
13
Feels °C
8
9
11
9
12
12
11
11
11
6
5
5
5
5
7
6
5
9
10
9
10
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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