Cintsa West Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.83° S 28.12° E

Cintsa West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 08 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cintsa West sea temperature is
17.4° C
2.5° 

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 8 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period, S swell with 1,607 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. 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 Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11AM (Sat 8th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 14s
Best Surf11AM (Sat 8th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 14s
Most Powerful 2PM (Tue 11th Aug)7ft (2.2m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Right, gather round. Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our local patch. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but we’ve got a window.

We’re looking at Cintsa West, a point break that’s a bit inconsistent, but when it turns on it’s a gem. The water’s sitting at 64° which is a solid 4° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting a decent steamer out there.

The best bet, and the one that’s got me buzzing, is the early session on Saturday the 8th. We’ve got a 4ft SSW groundswell pumping in with a long 14-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 677 (moderate). The magic is the wind – it’s glassy at 3 mph from the NNW. That’s absolute perfection. Expect clean, lined-up waves at Cintsa West. It’s a pick for intermediates, but the inconsistency means you might have to wait for the sets. The crowds can be around sometimes, but on a morning like this, it’s worth the gamble.

Saturday afternoon gets messy. The wind swings to a cross-shore SW at 12 mph, and the swell drops to 3ft. The energy drops to 500. It’s a no-go.

Sunday the 9th morning looks clean with a 5ft SW swell and a cross-offshore wind, but the energy is moderate at 860. The afternoon jumps to 7ft but the period drops to a short 7 seconds, and the wind is a strong 19 mph. That’s a lumpy, jumbled mess. Not worth it.

Monday the 10th is a write-off with onshore winds and rain. Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th are just blown out with cross-shore winds and poor conditions. The swell is there, but the wind is ruining it.

There’s a gap of poor conditions until Saturday the 15th. The morning shows some promise – a 5ft E swell with a 8-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is weak at 325, but it’s clean. Worth a look if you’re desperate.

After that, it’s a lot of onshore and cross-shore chop until Thursday the 20th. That morning we get a 8ft ENE swell, but the period is a short 9 seconds. The energy is a strong 1492, but the cross-shore wind will make it tricky. That’s big, powerful, and messy – only for the experienced crew.

The rest of the run is small and choppy. There’s a small window on Saturday the 22nd afternoon with a 4ft E swell and a light onshore wind, but the energy is only 508. It’s marginal.

So, to sum it up: the standout is this Saturday morning, the 8th of August. Get up early, get the glassy conditions, and enjoy that long-period groundswell. Everything else is a battle with the wind.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 24°C on Sat morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat morning, fresh winds from the SW by Sun afternoon).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Tue morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
0
3
2
1
0
0
0
1
1
2
2
2
0
2
3
1
2
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
SSW
14
1
SSW
14
1
SSW
14
1.2
SSW
14
2.4
S
8
2.2
S
7
1.6
S
8
1.2
S
8
1.6
S
11
2.3
SSE
11
2.1
S
13
2.1
ESE
8
2
ESE
8
1.9
ESE
8
1.4
ENE
10
0.7
SSW
17
0.8
SSW
19
0.7
SSW
17
1.3
ESE
7
1.5
E
7
1.7
E
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
565
384
373
537
670
493
341
186
584
1164
1417
560
560
486
363
261
428
267
186
239
295
Wind (km/h)
5
W
20
SW
15
W
20
WSW
30
WSW
25
S
20
SW
15
S
15
SSE
20
SE
15
ESE
15
ENE
15
NE
20
ENE
10
NE
15
NNE
20
ENE
15
NNE
20
NE
25
ENE
20
NE
Wind State
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
11:55AM1.04m
00:36AM1.23m
1:27PM1.18m
1:48AM1.35m
2:24PM1.36m
2:40AM1.48m
3:09PM1.52m
3:22AM1.58m
3:48PM1.66m
4:00AM1.63m
4:25PM1.74m
4:35AM1.64m
4:59PM1.76m
Low Tide
5:55PM0.57m
7:11AM0.45m
7:30PM0.45m
8:11AM0.30m
8:30PM0.30m
8:56AM0.16m
9:16PM0.17m
9:34AM0.04m
9:56PM0.08m
10:09AM-0.03m
10:33PM0.04m
10:42AM-0.05m
11:07PM0.05m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
heavy rain
rain showers
light rain
mod rain
rain showers
light rain
light rain
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:52
6:50
6:50
6:48
6:48
6:47
6:46
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:34
5:35
5:35
5:36
5:37
5:37
5:37
 mm
2
14
2
3
7
3
1
2
1
2
1
Temp °C
24
20
16
19
15
15
14
14
14
14
14
15
16
16
16
16
18
16
19
20
17
Feels °C
23
16
15
15
9
9
10
10
11
11
10
12
12
12
13
13
14
13
15
15
14
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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