Cintsa West Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.83° S 28.12° E

Cintsa West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cintsa West sea temperature is
17.2° C
3.0° 

Cintsa West surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Cintsa West surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, SW swell with 2,401 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 (Jul 17) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m 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 3.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Fri 17th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 13s
Best Surf 5AM (Mon 20th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 11s
Most Powerful 5AM (Mon 20th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 11s

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 line for Cintsa West.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 63° right now, which is a whopping 5° colder than usual for this time of year. That's a serious anomaly, so gear up properly if you're heading out.

The next few days are a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. We've got swell in the water, but the conditions are touch-and-go through Friday and Saturday with a light cross-shore breeze and marginal surf. The real standout window starts to open up on Sunday morning, July 19th. We're looking at a clean 3ft swell from the S with glassy conditions. The combined energy is moderate at 642, and that light offshore flow is going to make for some silky lines. Monday morning, July 20th, is also looking prime with another glassy session, 4ft from the SE and a combined energy of 981. Get on it.

Now, the real highlight? That's Thursday morning, July 24th, and it's a cracker. That's a solid 6ft groundswell from the SSW with a very long period of 17 seconds, packing a strong combined energy of 1947. The wind is glassy, so it's going to be clean. This is a point break, so that long-period energy will wrap in beautifully. This one is for the experienced crew, though; that size and power is not for beginners.

The run of good conditions continues into Monday, July 27th, with a clean 4ft swell from the SSW and a combined energy of 1272. The wind is cross-off, keeping the faces tidy.

Looking further out, the forecast gets a bit wild. Saturday morning, August 1st, things are looking promising but less certain. We're seeing a 8ft swell from the SW with a gentle offshore wind and clean conditions. The combined energy is a very strong 1787. That's a powerful swell, so only for the experts. It's a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it has the potential to be the best of the whole run.

There's a bit of a lull in quality towards the end of July, with the 29th and 30th looking poor with rain and lumpy wind, so don't bother with those.

Keep it salty.
Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
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
2
2
2
2
3
3
2
4
3
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
2
4
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SSW
13
1.5
SSW
12
1.2
SSW
11
1.3
S
12
1.4
S
11
1.4
S
10
1
S
11
1.2
SE
13
3
SW
10
1.3
SE
12
1.4
SE
12
1.3
SE
12
1.2
SE
11
1.1
SE
11
1
SSW
14
1.2
SSW
13
0.9
SSW
13
1.2
SSW
12
1.8
SSW
12
1.7
SSW
13
1.5
SSW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
390
593
302
469
467
416
227
486
1636
511
555
478
350
263
413
482
303
400
918
931
639
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
10
SW
5
NNW
5
SW
10
SW
10
WNW
5
SSW
10
SSW
15
W
5
SW
10
ENE
10
NNW
0
NW
5
SSW
10
WNW
10
NE
10
S
20
WSW
5
SW
10
E
15
NNE
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
6:02PM1.65m
6:10AM1.47m
6:40PM1.58m
6:47AM1.37m
7:18PM1.48m
7:24AM1.25m
7:57PM1.36m
8:06AM1.13m
8:42PM1.23m
9:00AM1.03m
9:46PM1.13m
10:35AM0.96m
11:25PM1.08m
Low Tide
11:42AM0.03m
00:11AM0.19m
12:17PM0.10m
00:50AM0.28m
12:52PM0.20m
1:29AM0.38m
1:28PM0.32m
2:11AM0.48m
2:08PM0.45m
3:03AM0.57m
3:00PM0.58m
4:20AM0.64m
4:26PM0.66m
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:07
7:07
7:05
7:05
7:05
7:05
7:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:20
5:20
5:21
5:21
5:22
5:22
5:22
 mm
Temp °C
19
19
16
20
21
17
19
21
16
19
20
16
23
24
16
24
24
18
19
20
17
Feels °C
17
16
16
18
19
16
18
18
15
18
18
14
21
22
15
21
22
16
18
19
17
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  • 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 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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