
Surf Forecasts:
Eerste Steen surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 8,675 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Eerste Steen this week:
The surf forecast for Eerste Steen over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Eerste Steen in the next 16 days are 4.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Eerste Steen over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.
We're starting off with a bit of a wait, I'm not going to lie. The first day or so is looking pretty average, so don't rush to the water. The real action kicks off Tuesday morning, July 21st, and that's where the story begins.
Tuesday morning is the first real standout. Eerste Steen is waking up to a solid 7ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 14-second period, and the wind is going to be glassy. Dead calm. That’s a beautiful thing. The combined wave energy is powerful (1946), so there's plenty of grunt in the water. This is excellent surf, but at that size with that much energy, it’s one for the experienced crew. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about 1° cooler than normal for this time of year, so it’s a touch nippy, but nothing crazy.
The next few days keep the swell going, but the wind gets a bit on it. Wednesday morning is still a decent 7ft with cross-on wind, and Thursday looks cleaner with a cross-off breeze and a 7ft to 8ft swell. The Thursday afternoon session actually looks really good – clean 8ft waves with a cross-off breeze and a heap of energy (1701). That’s another one for the experienced surfers.
Now, Friday the 24th of July is a big one, but it’s a warning. The swell is forecast to pump up to 12ft in the morning with a very long 15-second period. That’s a massive amount of energy (4815), and the wind is clean and light. But honestly, that’s too big for this break. It's only for absolute experts, and even then, it might be a washing machine. The afternoon drops to 10ft but the wind swings onshore, which spoils it.
Saturday the 25th still has a solid 6ft to 7ft SW swell with clean cross-off winds in the morning. That’s a good, solid, fun day for the intermediate crew. The water will still be a bit cool.
The following week sees the swell drop a bit, but there are some gems. Sunday the 26th morning is glassy with a 7ft swell – that’s going to be a beautiful, clean session. The crowds are "sometimes" a factor here, so you might have a few others out, but it’s worth it.
The middle of the week (July 28th to 30th) gets a bit windy and messy, with strong onshore winds and lumpy conditions. Not a great time to paddle out. There’s a brief window on Wednesday the 29th morning with a clean 8ft swell and cross-off wind, but it’s a big one.
Looking further out, the end of the month and start of August is a mixed bag. Friday the 31st of July is absolutely pumping again with a 13ft to 15ft SW swell and a very long period. That is a monster, and it's likely too big for anything but a tow-in or a very, very experienced crew. The first of August is the same story – huge 13ft surf. Then it settles down. The 2nd of August morning is glassy with a much more manageable 7ft swell. That’s your best bet for the second week, a clean, fun morning.
The last few days of the forecast (August 3rd and 4th) drop right off. The swell gets small and weak, with messy wind. It’s a bit of a flat finish.
So, to wrap it up: the absolute best on offer is Tuesday morning, July 21st – glassy, clean, 7ft SW groundswell with heaps of energy. That’s the one to circle. The second standout is Thursday afternoon, July 23rd – clean, 8ft, and a lot of fun. Don't even think about Friday the 24th or the 31st unless you have a death wish and a very big board.
Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, that’s the story.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 8 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
286 | 258 | 1895 | 2310 | 1724 | 1298 | 1107 | 830 | 932 | 1256 | 8055 | 4815 | 3936 | 2549 | 1206 | 1182 | 976 | 1130 | 1040 | 1281 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:45PM1.31m | 8:15AM1.07m | 8:37PM1.19m | 9:22AM1.00m | 9:43PM1.11m | 10:48AM0.98m | 11:05PM1.08m | 12:11PM1.02m | 00:19AM1.11m | 1:10PM1.09m | 1:14AM1.17m | 1:53PM1.18m | 1:56AM1.25m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:14AM0.43m | 2:09PM0.51m | 3:14AM0.51m | 3:14PM0.60m | 4:34AM0.55m | 4:48PM0.64m | 5:57AM0.53m | 6:16PM0.61m | 6:58AM0.46m | 7:16PM0.54m | 7:43AM0.38m | 7:59PM0.45m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 8 | SSW 8 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
286 | 98 | 1895 | 2310 | 1724 | 1298 | 1107 | 830 | 932 | 1256 | 8055 | 4815 | 3936 | 2549 | 1206 | 1182 | 976 | 1130 | 1040 | 1281 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | SW 16 | W 9 | W 9 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | WSW 13 | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | WSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | — | SW 14 | SW 16 |
120 | 258 | 39 | 24 | — | 42 | 115 | 308 | 151 | 312 | — | — | — | — | 848 | 578 | 313 | — | 251 | 67 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 6 | S 21 | — | — |
50 | 120 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 133 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 9 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | N 4 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | 69 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 31 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Eerste Steen Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Eerste Steen provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Eerste Steen can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Eerste Steen 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 (Eerste Steen) 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 Eerste Steen 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.
Eerste Steen is 8 km (5 miles) from the very large city of Robben Island. If you plan a holiday in Cape Town, look for hotels and other accommodation in Robben Island. Robben Island has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as cheap car hire and transport links.










