Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 17s period, S swell with 2,950 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. 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 2.3m 17s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 5s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s talk about Cintsa West. This little point break has a bit of tease about it. It’s an inconsistent spot, but when it lines up, it’s special. We’ve got a bit of a wait for the real magic, but there’s a session in there that’s got my heart beating faster.
The water is sitting at 65°F right now, and it’s about 3°F colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent wetsuit. That’s a bit unusual, feels like winter's hanging on.
Friday morning the 21st is where we start. The swell is a clean 5ft from the SSW, with a period of 12 seconds, and the wind is glassy from the south. This is proper. The combined wave energy is moderate (612), but the conditions are glassy. This is your pick for the week. Get out there early. By Friday afternoon a cross-on ESE breeze picks up to 6 mph and the surf quality drops, so the morning window is the one to chase.
Saturday the 22nd is a write-off. The wind kicks up strong from the SW, hitting 25 mph in the afternoon, and the swell goes messy with short 7-second period. Not for paddling, skip it.
Sunday the 23rd sees the swell steady at 5ft from the SSW with a 10-second period, but the wind stays cross or cross-on. It’s marginal, not terrible but not great. There’s better ahead.
Monday the 24th is small and choppy. The swell drops to 4ft and the wind is onshore, so don't bother.
Now, Tuesday the 25th is interesting. The swell is 5ft from the SSW with a long, beautiful 15-second period. That’s groundswell energy, and the combined energy jumps to (1097). The wind is light cross-on from the south, which puts some texture on the face but isn’t ruinous. It’s a watch-and-see, but the potential is there.
Wednesday the 26th kicks. The swell builds to 7ft from the south with a very long 17-second period. The combined energy is (2305) – that’s strong. The wind is cross-on from the ENE at 6 mph in the morning, but by the afternoon, it picks up to 16 mph and goes cross-shore with a chop. That big, clean energy is getting mushed up. This is more of a kitesurfer’s playground with that wind on a beach setup.
Thursday the 27th the swell drops to 5ft, but the wind stays strong from the NE at 16 mph. Not great.
Hold on for Friday the 28th. The morning is glassy again, with a 5ft S swell and a 12-second period. The combined energy is (1051), and with the wind dead calm and glassy, this is excellent for experienced surfers. That is your absolute standout for the whole 16 days. Don’t sleep on this.
Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are messy again, with cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions. Sunday the 30th afternoon does have a clean cross-off wind from the WSW at only 3 mph, but the swell is a smaller 5ft from the SSW. It’s clean, but not as punchy as the Friday.
Then we head into the first week of September, and it gets a bit wild. Monday the 1st of September has a 8ft ENE swell with a short 8-second period and strong cross winds. Not great.
The real monster shows up on Thursday the 3rd of September. Swell hits 13ft from the SW with a 13-second period. The combined energy is (7178) – that’s very strong. But the wind is cross-shore from the SW at 12 mph, making it lumpy. This is big, raw power for experts only, and even then, it’s not clean.
Friday the 4th of September is even bigger. A 15ft SSW swell with a 13-second period and an onshore wind. The combined energy is massive (8844). This is a major swell event, but the conditions are marginal for clean surfing. Definitely for very advanced crew only.
By Saturday the 5th of September, the swell drops back to 7ft from the south, and the wind goes glassy from the SSE. The combined energy is (1093). This is another glassy morning session, and it rounds off the forecast nicely. Good conditions for experienced surfers.
So, if you’re asking me where to go, it’s Friday the 28th of August morning, and if you can wait, Saturday the 5th of September morning is another cracker. The rest is either skunky or too big and messy. That’s the read on Cintsa West.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the NE by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 7 | SW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 14 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 15 | S 17 | S 17 | S 13 | S 12 | S 16 | S 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
598 | 494 | 404 | 242 | 555 | 1389 | 555 | 551 | 430 | 453 | 279 | 558 | 1088 | 920 | 1232 | 2293 | 2950 | 1145 | 581 | 605 | 596 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 8:39AM0.93m | 10:07PM0.97m | 12:31PM0.91m | 00:55AM1.03m | 1:46PM1.05m | 1:49AM1.16m | 2:21PM1.19m | 2:24AM1.29m | 2:49PM1.34m | 2:53AM1.40m | 3:15PM1.47m | 3:20AM1.50m | 3:41PM1.58m | 3:47AM1.57m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:48PM0.72m | 5:33AM0.73m | 6:24PM0.74m | 7:32AM0.61m | 7:43PM0.62m | 8:09AM0.47m | 8:20PM0.49m | 8:37AM0.33m | 8:50PM0.36m | 9:03AM0.21m | 9:17PM0.25m | 9:28AM0.11m | 9:45PM0.15m | ||||||||
6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 17 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 23 | 27 | 20 |
Feels °C | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 24 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | ENE 7 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 14 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 15 | S 17 | S 17 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | E 9 |
598 | 494 | 404 | 242 | 17 | 746 | 555 | 551 | 430 | 453 | 279 | 558 | 1088 | 920 | 1232 | 2293 | 2950 | 1145 | 581 | 407 | 565 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | S 14 | — | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | — | — | S 16 | S 16 | S 12 |
12 | 12 | 12 | 200 | — | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 254 | 605 | 336 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | — | — | E 6 | — | — | — | — | SE 12 | SSE 11 | — | SE 11 | S 11 | SE 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 16 |
2 | — | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 12 | — | 5 | 3 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 596 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 3 | SW 3 | SSW 7 | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | SW 2 | — | — | — | — | E 4 | E 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | WSW 3 |
— | — | 2 | 8 | 555 | 1389 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 60 | 190 | 316 | 560 | 8 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 431 | 180 | 163 | 456 | 260 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 163 | 512 | 431 | 295 | 271 | 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.











