
Surf Forecasts:
Eerste Steen surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 7,984 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s period with SSW 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Eerste Steen over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your stick and listen up. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Eerste Steen, and there’s a pretty solid run of swell coming our way. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing spooky there.
We kick off this Saturday morning, the 18th of July, with some clean little waves. The swell is around 5ft from the SW, with a period of 9 seconds, and it’s absolutely glassy; the wind is dead still from the NNW. The combined energy is pumping at a solid 625, so it’s feeling good. That Saturday arvo gets a bit crummy with a cross-on wind, so get your session in early.
Sunday the 19th looks a bit messy with the cross-shore winds, but the swell holds nicely at 4ft to 5ft. Monday morning the 20th is back to that glassy goodness with a 6ft SW swell, and the energy is up at 593. It’s clean as a whistle.
Now, keep your eyes on Tuesday the 21st. That morning is a standout. The ocean’s dead calm with zero wind, it’s glassy, and we’ve got a 6ft SSW swell with a long 14-second period. The combined energy jumps to 1189, which is some serious grunt. That’s the best morning of the first week, no doubt.
Wednesday the 22nd sees the swell jump up to 10ft, but the wind is cranking at 12 mph. It’s a cross-off wind in the morning, so it’s clean, but 10ft is getting big; that’s for the experienced crew only. The energy is way up there at 2468. Thursday the 23rd has a nice 7ft SW swell with clean conditions and a light breeze, energy at 1301. That’s a good one.
Then we hit a snag. Friday the 24th is a write-off for normal paddling. The swell is absolutely thumping at 12ft from the SW, with a 15-second period, and the energy is a massive 5091. That’s a full-on bomb, but it’s simply too big for this break. Honestly, if you’ve got a kite, this might be more your scene than a surfboard.
Saturday the 25th is a different story. The swell drops to a hefty 8ft from the SW, with a 13-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off from the ESE. The energy is 2692. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. That morning session is a winner.
Sunday the 26th gets blown out. The wind howls up to 19 mph from the SSE, creating a lumpy cross-chop. The swell is still there at 6ft to 7ft, but it’s messy. Skip it. Monday the 27th is a ripper, though. Clean conditions, cross-off wind, and a 8ft SW swell with a 15-second period. The energy is 2523. That afternoon session is top-notch for the experienced crew.
The run fades out after that. Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th are poor, with cross-on winds and choppy conditions. The swell drops to 4ft to 5ft, and the energy falls to 344. It looks pretty flat and messy.
But wait, there’s a promising call at the end of the month. On Thursday the 30th of July, we get a clean morning with a 3ft WSW swell, but the period is a very long 16 seconds, and the energy is 674. That’s a groundswell with some reach. It’s small, but clean. Friday the 31st and the first of August look okay, with clean mornings and some waist-high waves, but nothing to write home about. The energy sticks around 400 to 700.
So, if you’re picking your days, Tuesday the 21st is the one for the first week. Saturday the 25th and Monday the 27th are the standouts for the second week. Everything else is a bit of a gamble or just plain small.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | SW 9 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
377 | 307 | 315 | 574 | 503 | 629 | 954 | 491 | 295 | 362 | 1065 | 1496 | 1749 | 2468 | 2216 | 1546 | 1301 | 686 | 7984 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 5:55AM1.39m | 6:19PM1.52m | 6:38AM1.28m | 7:01PM1.42m | 7:23AM1.17m | 7:45PM1.31m | 8:15AM1.07m | 8:37PM1.19m | 9:22AM1.00m | 9:43PM1.11m | 10:48AM0.98m | 11:05PM1.08m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:55PM0.15m | 12:00PM0.16m | 00:39AM0.23m | 12:39PM0.27m | 1:24AM0.33m | 1:21PM0.39m | 2:14AM0.43m | 2:09PM0.51m | 3:14AM0.51m | 3:14PM0.60m | 4:34AM0.55m | 4:48PM0.64m | |||||||
— | 7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | |
5:55 | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 17 |
377 | 307 | 235 | 574 | 503 | 629 | 954 | 491 | 295 | 362 | 1065 | 1496 | 1749 | 2468 | 2216 | 1546 | 1301 | 662 | 7984 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 12 | SW 13 | WSW 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 7 | WSW 11 | W 9 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | SSW 12 | — |
52 | 129 | 315 | 198 | 184 | 130 | 92 | 92 | 90 | 56 | 85 | 24 | 12 | — | — | — | — | 500 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 14 | W 12 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 12 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | — |
10 | 189 | 137 | 73 | 55 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 50 | 118 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 686 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 31 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 39 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 3 |
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.










