
Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SSW swell with 961 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period with SSE 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 15s. 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 1.3m 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the surf outlook for Cintsa West.
Right off the bat, the first few days are a write-off. We’ve got a messy start with a fresh cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions on Monday, not worth even paddling out. The real story starts to build on Tuesday afternoon, 28 July, when things get interesting.
The standout window is Tuesday afternoon. We’ve got a solid 7ft swell pumping in from the SSE, and the wind goes glassy. That’s the kind of magic that makes a point break like Cintsa West come alive. The swell period is short at 8 seconds, but the energy is moderate (1023), and with that offshore wind, expect clean, punchy waves. These are for the experienced crew though – over 8ft is expert territory, but at 7ft, it’s still a handful for beginners. The water temp is sitting around 68°, which is about average for this time of year.
Thursday morning, 30 July, is another good call. The swell drops slightly to 6ft from the ESE, but again, glassy conditions with a light offshore wind. The wave energy is moderate (1005), and the period is 9 seconds. This is a solid pick for the intermediate surfer who wants clean, fun waves without the heavy crowd pressure. Just know that crowds are possible here.
Moving into the first week of August, the surf gets a bit more inconsistent and the wind turns cross-shore or onshore, keeping things average. The second week, around Friday morning, 7 August, we get a glimpse of something special. A 4ft SSW groundswell with a very long 15-second period, and a light offshore wind from the NW. The energy is moderate (961), and the wave quality looks clean. This is a classic point break setup – long lines, easy paddling between sets. It’s a promising one, but being that far out, let’s call it a hopeful look.
Then, into the second week, the standout is Monday morning, 10 August. A 6ft SSW swell, period of 15 seconds, and glassy conditions. The energy is strong (1343), and the wind is dead calm. This is a dream scenario for the point. The waves will be clean, powerful, and with that long period, expect some long, grinding walls. The 6ft height is in the sweet spot for intermediates and up. Again, keep in mind that the swell direction is SSW, which is the optimum for Cintsa West, so it’s going to wrap in perfectly.
So, overall, the best on offer is the Tuesday afternoon, 28 July, session for the experienced, and the Monday morning, 10 August, session for everyone else who wants clean, long-period groundswell. The rest of the forecast is a mix of average and marginal, but those two windows are pure gold.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 71mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Mon afternoon, calm by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SSW 7 | SSW 18 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | ESE 8 | SSW 14 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
225 | 206 | 961 | 882 | 547 | 514 | 427 | 593 | 433 | 520 | 455 | 346 | 386 | 364 | 517 | 351 | 429 | 543 | 426 | 378 | 556 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:06PM1.29m | 3:11AM1.39m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:55AM0.35m | 9:04PM0.39m | 9:25AM0.25m | 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 | |||||||
7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | |
— | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | 23 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 15 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 18 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSW 14 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | E 8 | E 8 | S 18 | E 8 |
225 | 198 | 961 | 882 | 547 | 514 | 328 | 373 | 433 | 520 | 455 | 346 | 386 | 364 | 398 | 56 | 47 | 432 | 298 | 167 | 381 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SSW 16 | ENE 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | — | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 17 |
62 | 206 | 12 | 539 | 462 | 155 | 427 | 356 | 407 | 485 | 413 | 317 | 242 | 140 | 56 | 134 | — | 62 | 35 | 18 | 286 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | S 12 | E 9 | E 9 | S 9 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 15 | W 18 | — | SW 15 | SSW 20 | SW 13 | S 10 |
53 | 33 | 7 | 22 | 14 | 12 | 63 | 110 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 42 | 6 | — | 8 | 38 | 7 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 5 | SSW 7 | S 8 | — | — | ESE 7 | — | ESE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
60 | 170 | 217 | — | — | 188 | — | 593 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 517 | 351 | 429 | 543 | 426 | 378 | 556 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 197 | 491 | 105 | 271 | 0 | 122 | 100 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 497 | 0 | 0 | 105 | 0 | 100 | 489 | 127 | 295 | 295 | 10 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










