Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, E swell with 1,099 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cintsa West this week:
The surf forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cintsa West in the next 16 days are 2.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 29th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Cintsa West over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell to sit through. The first real surf on offer kicks off Tuesday the 28th of July, but honestly, it’s a bit of a mess. That 7ft swell from the SSE is mostly wind-affected with a short 8 second period, and the onshore breeze isn’t doing it any favours. The water’s sitting at 69°, which is pretty standard for this time of year, nothing wild there.
The rest of the week and into the weekend is a bit of a write-off, to be honest. We’ve got a mix of small, short-period swell and moderate to fresh cross-shore winds. The energy is weak to moderate (990 to 635), and the commentary keeps saying “marginal” or “poor.” The morning of Friday the 31st through to Sunday the 2nd of August is solidly in the “poor” column, with lumps of cross-chop and fresh breezes. Not what you’re looking for.
Then, things start to get interesting. Monday the 3rd of August, the swell bumps up to 8ft from the east, but the real story is the combined energy jumping to 1710. That’s moderate, but it’s still a cross-shore wind. By Wednesday the 5th of August, the morning cleans up nicely with a light cross-offshore breeze and a clean 4ft swell from the east. That’s a window worth paddling out for, even if the energy is light (310).
Now, the standout window. The morning of Wednesday the 12th of August is looking like the real deal. We’ve got a solid 15ft swell from the south, with a combined energy of 4165, and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the NNW. That’s a lot of water moving, well over 8ft, so this is expert territory only. The afternoon of the same day is even cleaner – glassy conditions, a 13ft south swell, and the energy is pumping at 5978. This is the one to circle on the calendar. Just be aware that with that much energy and a long period, it’s going to be a big, powerful point break wave. Cintsa West is a point, so it should handle it well, but it’s not for the faint of heart.
Because this spot is inconsistent, it’s a bit of a gamble, but when it fires, it fires. The crowd situation is “sometimes,” so you might have company, but it’s not a circus.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SSW 14 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 514 | 514 | 331 | 383 | 492 | 535 | 469 | 469 | 469 | 506 | 567 | 575 | 715 | 596 | 594 | 692 | 947 | 859 | 854 | 739 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | on | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:37PM1.39m | 3:42AM1.46m | 4:07PM1.48m | 4:11AM1.52m | 4:35PM1.55m | 4:39AM1.54m | 5:03PM1.60m | 5:07AM1.54m | 5:31PM1.62m | 5:36AM1.52m | 6:01PM1.61m | 6:07AM1.46m | 6:32PM1.56m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:36PM0.31m | 9:54AM0.16m | 10:07PM0.24m | 10:21AM0.10m | 10:36PM0.20m | 10:48AM0.06m | 11:06PM0.17m | 11:15AM0.05m | 11:36PM0.17m | 11:43AM0.07m | 00:08AM0.20m | 12:13PM0.13m | 00:43AM0.25m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — |
mm | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 16 | 22 | 23 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 12 | 19 | 20 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSW 14 | SSE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 14 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 |
| kJ | 514 | 514 | 191 | 383 | 383 | 535 | 469 | 469 | 469 | 506 | 567 | 31 | 28 | 21 | 8 | 20 | 770 | 730 | 641 | 502 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | E 8 | SSW 14 | SSE 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | S 15 | S 13 | S 10 | SSW 13 | S 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 462 | 51 | 331 | 163 | 492 | 401 | 390 | 312 | 281 | 131 | 79 | 78 | 10 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 35 | 121 | 163 | 131 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | — | SSE 11 | SSW 14 | S 9 | — | — | — | — | SSW 16 | — | — | — | SW 17 | SSW 14 | S 13 | — | SW 12 | W 19 | S 13 |
| kJ | 14 | — | 12 | 361 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 50 | — | — | — | 12 | 20 | 13 | — | 35 | 7 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 8 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 5 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 |
| kJ | — | 496 | 315 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 41 | 575 | 715 | 596 | 594 | 692 | 947 | 859 | 854 | 739 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 512 | 432 | 380 | 143 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 489 | 380 | 153 | 295 | 431 | 213 | 271 | 295 | 10 | 43 | 123 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cintsa West Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cintsa West provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cintsa West can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cintsa West 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 (Cintsa West) 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 Cintsa West 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 Eastern Cape - Wild Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Cintsa West, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast, consider staying in East London which is 28 km (17 miles) away. Other places in and around Eastern Cape - Wild Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Butterworth which is 56 km (35 miles) away, Stutterheim and Bisho.
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