
Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 10s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 12s period, S swell with 6,026 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 5s 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 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's talk surf. The next week or so is pretty quiet out here at Cintsa West. Water temp is nothing special for this time of year. You're looking at a lot of small, gutless waves. The energy in the ocean is mostly weak, sitting in the hundreds. There's a little bump of swell on Tuesday the 4th, but it's junky and the wind is all over the place. Not worth the paddle. Wednesday the 5th has a tiny window of clean, glassy surf in the morning – an east swell around 4-5 feet with a 10-second period. It's small, but it'll be the cleanest you'll see for days. This break is inconsistent, so be ready to sit and wait.
After that, it goes flat and ugly. Thursday the 6th is junk, with a cross-onshore wind. Friday the 7th is similar, clean in the morning but blowing out by the afternoon. The weekend is a total loss, with a moderate cross-shore breeze on Saturday and a stronger, lumpy one on Sunday. The swell is weak and short-period, nothing to get excited about.
Now, hold on to your board. The following week, starting Monday the 10th, a huge, powerful south swell hits. We're talking a massive jump in energy, from a few hundred up to over 4500. This is serious stuff, but the wind is screaming and it's raining, so it'll be a mess. Tuesday the 11th is still massive, with a 13-foot swell from the SSE. The morning is still rough, but the afternoon might get a little better as the wind eases. But still, this is big and stormy.
But then we get to Wednesday the 12th. This is the day. The wind goes offshore, the morning is glassy, and the swell is a solid 13 feet from the southeast with a 13-second period. The energy is an enormous 6152. This is a serious groundswell, the kind that makes your heart race. Cintsa West, being a point break, will handle this long-period energy perfectly. This is for experts only, no doubt. It will be big, powerful, and a true test of your surfing.
Thursday the 13th stays big, but a cross-onshore wind will chop it up and take the shine off. After that, the swell fades through the week, but the wind stays messy. By the weekend of the 16th and 17th, it's back to small and poor, with Monday the 18th showing a bit of promise, but that's a long way off.
So, to sum it up: if you're looking for a clean, small wave, Wednesday the 5th morning is your best bet. If you're an expert looking for some serious, heavy consequences, then Wednesday the 12th is the one. Everything else is either flat, blown out, or too big to even think about.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the SW by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 7 | SSW 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
551 | 425 | 473 | 440 | 319 | 257 | 362 | 309 | 316 | 390 | 283 | 288 | 407 | 478 | 384 | 264 | 342 | 1095 | 483 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 6:41AM1.38m | 7:09PM1.49m | 7:21AM1.27m | 7:53PM1.38m | 8:12AM1.14m | 8:56PM1.26m | 9:39AM1.03m | 10:42PM1.18m | 11:55AM1.04m | 00:36AM1.23m | 1:27PM1.18m | 1:48AM1.35m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:43AM0.25m | 12:47PM0.21m | 1:24AM0.34m | 1:26PM0.32m | 2:15AM0.44m | 2:19PM0.45m | 3:32AM0.54m | 3:46PM0.56m | 5:31AM0.56m | 5:55PM0.57m | 7:11AM0.45m | 7:30PM0.45m | |||||||
— | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
5:30 | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 |
Temp °C | 17 | 22 | 25 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 23 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 14 |
Feels °C | 15 | 18 | 22 | 17 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | E 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | SSW 14 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 11 |
551 | 425 | 473 | 440 | 319 | 257 | 211 | 120 | 316 | 390 | 283 | 61 | 366 | 157 | 384 | 264 | 194 | 173 | 483 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | S 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SE 7 | ENE 9 |
95 | 57 | 56 | 31 | 30 | 72 | 362 | 309 | 117 | 89 | 85 | 130 | 407 | 478 | 54 | 261 | 342 | 2 | 118 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 18 | SSW 15 | SW 11 | ENE 6 | SSW 6 | S 5 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | — | E 10 | E 9 | — | SE 8 | SE 7 | — | SE 8 |
— | — | — | 6 | 43 | 29 | 38 | 27 | 19 | 12 | 103 | — | 44 | 61 | — | 14 | 8 | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | — | ENE 6 | SW 9 | SW 6 | — | — | SW 2 | SSW 7 | — | NE 3 | ENE 6 | — | SW 4 | SSW 14 | W 4 |
53 | 61 | 86 | 197 | — | 64 | 22 | 61 | — | — | 1 | 288 | — | 2 | 160 | — | 14 | 1095 | 35 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 43 | 262 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 0 | 123 | 323 | 0 | 131 | 2975 | 1826 |
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.











