Cintsa West Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.83° S 28.12° E

Cintsa West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 31 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cintsa West sea temperature is
20.3° C
0.4° 

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 31 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 13s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 6 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with 6,090 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s period with ESE 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 31) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 4s is also forecast. 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 4.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) 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 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Fri 31st Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 9s
Best Surf 5AM (Sun 2nd Aug)7ft (2.1m) 13s
Most Powerful 5PM (Thu 6th Aug)15ft (4.5m) 13s

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 on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got one spot that’s worth keeping an eye on: Cintsa West. It’s a point break that’s inconsistent, so don’t expect it to be pumping every day, but when it lines up, it can be a gem. The water is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so nothing to worry about on that front.

The first few days are a write-off. Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st are all crossed-up and choppy with onshore bits, not worth paddling out for. The combined energy is weak to moderate (808) on Friday morning, dropping to 428 by Saturday. It’s just messy.

Sunday the 2nd shows a pulse of south-east swell, 8ft with a 12-second period, and the energy jumps to 1466. That’s a decent amount of juice, but the wind is cross-shore and the conditions are only marginal. It’s doable if you’re keen, but it’s not the cleanest.

We start to see a real shift on Tuesday the 4th. The morning glass-off with a north wind, 5ft from the ESE at 10 seconds, and the energy is 440. The wind is cross-offshore and it’s cleaning up nicely. This is the first real window of clean surf.

Wednesday the 5th morning is the real standout in the near term. The wind goes dead glassy, 3ft of east swell, 9-second period, and the energy is 212. It’s going to be clean, small, and fun on the point. Expect some company though – this spot can get crowded.

Then things get interesting. Thursday the 6th afternoon sees a massive spike in swell from the SSW, hitting 15ft with a 13-second period and a massive energy reading of 9402. That’s a lot of water moving. But the wind is a fresh cross-shore at 30 km/h, making it lumpy. The size alone is expert territory, and the cross-shore wind will make it a beast. Not a beginner’s day, and honestly, it might be more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle session.

The following week has a few windows. The morning of Saturday the 8th has a clean 4ft SSW swell (14 seconds, 1186 energy) with light cross-shore wind, but conditions are still marginal. The best-looking day in the second week is Thursday the 13th. The morning shows a 8ft SSW swell, 12-second period, 1790 energy, and a light north wind that’s cross-offshore. The wind forecast says “clean” and the conditions are called excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle on the calendar if you’ve got the skills. The afternoon turns glassy with 6ft from the south, 11 seconds – that’s a sweet, clean evening session.

The final Saturday the 15th also has a glassy morning, 4ft from the SSW at 10 seconds, 545 energy. It’s small and clean, a nice way to finish the run.

Overall, it’s not a constant run of gold, but there are clear windows. Wednesday the 5th morning is the pick for small-wave fun, and Thursday the 13th is the big-swell standout for the experienced crew. The rest of the time, you’ll be picking your moments.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
3
0
1
3
3
2
4
2
1
3
2
1
2
2
0
2
1
6
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
ESE
9
1.7
ESE
9
1.7
ESE
9
1.5
ESE
9
1.8
ESE
10
1.8
ESE
10
2.3
ESE
12
2.3
ESE
11
2.2
ESE
11
1.9
ESE
10
1.9
ESE
10
1.6
ESE
10
1.5
ESE
10
1.4
ESE
10
1.1
ESE
10
1
E
9
1
E
9
1
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
4.5
SSW
13
2.2
S
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
531
506
485
385
556
663
1422
1307
1100
776
720
523
383
341
240
169
169
378
281
6090
2005
Wind (km/h)
15
ENE
20
ENE
10
N
20
NE
20
ENE
15
NNE
15
NE
20
ENE
10
NNE
10
NE
15
NE
10
N
10
N
10
NE
10
WSW
5
NE
15
ENE
20
WSW
25
SW
30
SW
10
E
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
High Tide
5:03PM1.60m
5:07AM1.54m
5:31PM1.62m
5:36AM1.52m
6:01PM1.61m
6:07AM1.46m
6:32PM1.56m
6:41AM1.38m
7:09PM1.49m
7:21AM1.27m
7:53PM1.38m
8:12AM1.14m
8:56PM1.26m
Low Tide
10:48AM0.06m
11:06PM0.17m
11:15AM0.05m
11:36PM0.17m
11:43AM0.07m
00:08AM0.20m
12:13PM0.13m
00:43AM0.25m
12:47PM0.21m
1:24AM0.34m
1:26PM0.32m
2:15AM0.44m
2:19PM0.45m
3:32AM0.54m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:58
6:58
6:56
6:56
6:56
6:54
6:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:28
5:29
5:30
5:30
5:30
5:31
5:31
 mm
5
Temp °C
18
18
15
17
17
14
17
19
15
20
22
17
26
30
22
21
24
20
19
20
17
Feels °C
15
14
12
13
13
11
13
15
13
17
19
15
23
27
20
20
22
20
16
15
14
  • Map Icons:
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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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