
Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 10 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 10 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period, S swell with 1,617 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 10 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period with S 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 (Jul 10) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m 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 2.2m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
G'day, Rusty here, and I've been staring at this forecast for the Cintsa West area. It's a mixed bag of a run, with a couple of standout windows if you're patient, but plenty of average to poor stuff to wade through first.
The first real surf we see won't be until Friday the 10th of July, with a solid 8ft groundswell from the S at 13 seconds. That's a lot of energy (2042) for a point break, but it comes with a cross SSW wind at 9 mph, turning it into a bit of a messy beast. The water is a chilly 64°, which is a whopping 4° colder than normal for this time of year – so you'll want a thick wetsuit. It's marginal at best, and honestly, I'd give it a miss. The cleanliness doesn't improve much through the weekend or early next week, with lingering onshore winds and a mix of shorter period swell.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on the morning of Tuesday the 14th of July. The swell has dropped to 5ft from the ESE at 8 seconds, but the wind is glassy – WSW at 3 mph. The energy is moderate (446), and you'll get some small, clean lines. It's a tiny window of goodness before the wind shifts onshore in the afternoon.
We then hit a flat, quiet spell until Thursday the 16th of July. The morning is where it gets interesting. The swell drops to 4ft from the SSW, but the period jumps to 15 seconds – that's a proper long-period groundswell. The energy is moderate (821), and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the WSW at 3 mph. This is your best bet for a long, clean ride. The break is a known point, which is perfect for these long-period swells, but remember it's inconsistent, so expect gaps between sets. The water is still cold, but the conditions are primo for a Thursday morning session.
The real standout, though, is Saturday the 18th of July. The morning session is shaping up to be a cracker. The swell is back up to a solid 6ft from the S at 14 seconds, with a huge energy reading of 1424. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the WSW at 3 mph, which should keep the point's face clean. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – that 6ft can get a bit chunky for beginners. It's only a short window, though, as the wind swings onshore in the afternoon.
Looking further out, the big one to pencil in is Thursday the 23rd of July. The morning session is forecast to have a 8ft SSW groundswell with a 14-second period and a massive energy reading of 3357. The wind is forecast to be glassy from the SE. This is a serious swell for experts only – over 8ft is too big for most, and this is right on the edge. It's a long-range call, so it's promising but less certain. If it lines up, it will be a monster day at the point.
Summing up, don't bother with this weekend. The best windows are the mornings of Thursday the 16th and Saturday the 18th of July, with the 18th looking like the better of the two. The long-range promise of the 23rd is exciting, but we'll have to see how it develops.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fri 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SW 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2029 | 1568 | 1420 | 1229 | 918 | 464 | 352 | 331 | 378 | 291 | 365 | 376 | 375 | 351 | 274 | 293 | 448 | 573 | 624 | 390 | 289 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | off | glassy | on | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:34AM1.34m | 1:20PM1.20m | 1:43AM1.43m | 2:21PM1.33m | 2:40AM1.52m | 3:12PM1.46m | 3:29AM1.59m | 3:59PM1.57m | 4:13AM1.62m | 4:42PM1.64m | 4:54AM1.61m | 5:23PM1.67m | 5:33AM1.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:57PM0.48m | 7:07AM0.38m | 7:17PM0.40m | 8:09AM0.27m | 8:22PM0.29m | 9:00AM0.16m | 9:16PM0.19m | 9:45AM0.07m | 10:04PM0.13m | 10:26AM0.02m | 10:49PM0.10m | 11:05AM0.00m | 11:30PM0.13m | 11:42AM0.03m | |||||||
— | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | |
5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | 5:20 | |
mm | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 6 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | E 7 | E 7 | S 10 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | E 10 |
2029 | 1568 | 1420 | 1229 | 918 | 464 | 313 | 233 | 272 | 175 | 365 | 376 | 375 | 351 | 274 | 293 | 282 | 573 | 624 | 390 | 202 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | SE 7 | — | S 11 | S 11 | SW 15 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 13 |
6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 100 | — | 284 | 229 | 8 | 98 | 70 | 29 | 19 | 25 | 8 | 157 | 247 | 237 | 196 | 289 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 13 | — | — | — | — | E 9 | — | SW 16 | — | — | SE 8 | — | SW 9 | S 9 | SW 13 | SSW 9 | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 8 | — | — |
7 | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 10 | — | — | 100 | — | 22 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SE 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | SW 3 | SSW 4 | SW 8 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 173 | 352 | 331 | 378 | 291 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 8 | 448 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 0 | 78 | 123 | 0 | 43 | 380 | 0 | 100 | 271 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 456 |
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.











