
Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with 3,574 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cintsa West in the next 16 days are 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Cintsa West over the next couple of weeks.
Right now, we’re looking at a solid run of swell from the south, but the wind is giving us grief. Thursday morning (July 9) kicks off with a 7ft S swell at 13 seconds, but that cross-off wind from the WSW at 12 mph is just keeping things clean enough to be frustrating — the combined energy is a hefty 1478 (strong). It’s not terrible, but it’s not firing either. The water’s sitting at 65°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year.
Friday morning (July 10) is the real standout. Swell bumps up to 8ft from the south with a 14-second period, giving us a combined energy of 2338 (strong). The wind is SW at 9 mph, cross-off, and the waves are clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers — 8ft is too big for beginners, but perfect for those who know what they’re doing. It’s a point break, so that long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely and offer some proper lines. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.
The rest of the week is a bit of a write-off. Saturday (July 11) through Monday (July 13) sees onshore winds or cross-shore chop, and the swell drops off. By Tuesday (July 14) and into Wednesday (July 15), we’ve got small, messy stuff — not worth paddling out for.
Then there’s a glimmer on Wednesday morning (July 16) — a 5ft E swell with a 10-second period, and the wind swings NW at 3 mph, offshore. That’s clean, but it’s small and the energy is weak (490). Still, it’s a chance for a sneaky session.
The next real standout is a long way off, but it’s worth marking your calendar. On Thursday, July 24, the morning session sees an 12ft ENE swell with a 10-second period, glassy conditions, and the combined energy is a massive 3174 (very strong). This is for experts only — 12ft is big, and with that period, it’ll be a groundswell that holds up well on the point. The afternoon gets messy with a cross-shore wind, but that morning window is the best on offer in the whole outlook. It’s two weeks away, so keep an eye on it, but it looks promising.
There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations between the 10th and the 24th, so pick your moments wisely.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 13 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1468 | 1817 | 2785 | 2333 | 1866 | 1298 | 1248 | 1225 | 819 | 765 | 364 | 284 | 274 | 466 | 252 | 354 | 417 | 421 | 460 | 562 | 400 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:26AM1.08m | 11:11PM1.30m | 12:02PM1.11m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:26PM0.49m | 5:49AM0.46m | 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 | ||||||||
7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 5 | — | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 23 | 24 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | E 8 | E 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
1468 | 1817 | 2785 | 2333 | 1866 | 1298 | 1248 | 1225 | 819 | 765 | 364 | 136 | 203 | 355 | 177 | 354 | 417 | 421 | 460 | 562 | 400 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 14 | NE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 7 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 9 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 |
7 | 8 | 37 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 118 | 284 | 274 | 227 | 168 | 125 | 94 | 29 | 14 | 12 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | NE 8 | SE 14 | E 10 | SE 13 | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | — | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SE 8 | ENE 8 | SE 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
3 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | 21 | 61 | 35 | 71 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 5 | ENE 6 | ESE 7 | E 6 | — | E 8 | ENE 7 | — | — | NNE 4 | — | — | SW 3 |
— | 1568 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 17 | 230 | 167 | — | 466 | 252 | — | — | 7 | — | — | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 105 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 28 | 127 | 0 | 105 | 166 | 0 | 262 | 295 | 0 | 43 | 325 | 10 | 0 | 28 | 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.










