
Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 10 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 10 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, S swell with 2,558 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 10 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 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 Friday (Jul 10) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 9s. 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 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) 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 0.4m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
Right, let’s have a look at this stretch of coast. The forecast is a mixed bag, but there are some real windows of opportunity if you’re patient. The first few days are a bit rough, but the second half of the week and into the next has some absolute gems.
The first decent surf to speak of is on Friday the 10th of July, but it’s not a pretty one. Cintsa West is seeing a 8ft south swell, period 14 seconds – that’s a decent groundswell, but it’s got a lot of cross-off wind from the WSW, and the water is a chilly 64°F. That’s a full 4°F colder than usual for this time of year, which is a proper shock to the system. The combined swell energy is a meaty 2338, so there’s plenty of power, but the conditions are just marginal. It’s more of a battle than a pleasure.
Saturday the 11th stays similar, with a 7ft south swell, but the wind swings around to the east, cross-on, and it’s light rain. The energy is still strong at 1447, but it’s messy. By Sunday the 12th, the swell drops to 4ft, and the wind is still messy, plus there’s a risk of thunderstorms. Honestly, not a weekend to get excited about.
Then we hit the first real stand out. The morning of Monday the 13th of July. The wind goes completely glassy, dead calm, with a clean 6ft swell from the ESE. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s a bit of a wind swell, but that glassy surface makes it silky. The combined energy is 834 – moderate, but very user-friendly. This is a morning for the log or a funboard. The water is still cold, but you won’t care when it’s that clean.
Tuesday the 14th is more of the same – glassy morning, 6ft swell from the east at 9 seconds, energy at 500. Another clean, fun session. The wind stays light through the rest of the week, with the swell dropping a touch, but it stays clean right through to Wednesday afternoon. This is the best run of the first week: glassy or near-glassy, small, clean waves.
Now, the real big one comes in on the 18th of July. Saturday sees a 10ft SSW swell with a 13-second period, but the wind is howling from the SW at 19 mph, making it a choppy, lumpy mess. Don’t bother. But hold on… Sunday the 19th of July morning. The wind is glassy again, from the ESE at just 3 mph, and that same 10ft south swell has a longer 14-second period. The combined energy is a massive 3201. This is for experienced surfers only – over 8ft is expert territory. Cintsa West is a point break, so it will handle that long-period groundswell much better than a beach break, giving proper, long, walling waves. This is the standout of the whole 16 days, but it’s for the crew who know what they’re doing.
After that, the swell drops back to 6ft on Monday, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s just okay. The energy drops off. Further out, on the 22nd of July, a very long period swell arrives – 18 seconds from the south – with a massive energy of 3728. But the swell is 8ft, and the wind is a gentle cross-shore from the NE. It’s a proper, powerful groundswell that will be big and lully. Another one for the experts, but worth keeping an eye on if you’re checking the charts.
In summary, the best call is the glassy mornings from the 13th to the 15th for easy, clean waves. The absolute top quality, for the experienced, is the glassy morning of Sunday the 19th of July.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 14°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2333 | 2029 | 1568 | 1442 | 1351 | 915 | 397 | 422 | 431 | 427 | 308 | 403 | 432 | 484 | 441 | 426 | 452 | 426 | 361 | 446 | 312 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | off | glassy | on | off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 5:23PM1.67m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 11:05AM0.00m | 11:30PM0.13m | ||||||||
7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | 3 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SE 7 | S 11 | E 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
2333 | 2029 | 1568 | 1442 | 1351 | 915 | 241 | 313 | 311 | 427 | 308 | 403 | 432 | 484 | 441 | 426 | 452 | 426 | 361 | 347 | 296 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | S 12 | SSE 8 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SW 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 397 | 19 | 289 | 184 | 174 | 98 | 68 | 29 | 27 | 16 | 20 | 115 | 186 | 446 | 312 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SE 13 | — | — | — | — | E 9 | — | — | SSE 11 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | — | SW 9 | SW 9 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | — |
2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 11 | 8 | 20 | — | 22 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | E 4 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 3 | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | 12 | 348 | 422 | 431 | 212 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 10 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 28 | 0 | 105 | 213 | 43 | 10 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 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.










