
Surf Forecasts:
Eerste Steen surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 6,128 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 11s 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 10s. 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 3.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Eerste Steen over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, I’m Rusty, and I’m looking at the next few weeks for us here. Pretty quiet start, but there’s a pulse building.
Alright, things are a bit slow to start. The first real window of surf we’ve got is on Monday the 20th of July. That morning, Eerste Steen will be showing a clean 6ft swell from the SW with a cross-offshore NNE breeze around 6 mph. The energy is moderate, and the light wind will keep it tidy. It’s pretty consistent here, so it’s a good chance to get wet, but it’s not the standout.
The real show starts to heat up on the morning of Tuesday the 21st. We’ve got a solid 7ft SW groundswell pushing in, with a period of 14 seconds, so the energy jumps up. It’s a big step up. The wind is a light cross-shore from the SSE at 3 mph, so it’s clean. This is a good one, but it’s not the best.
The absolute standout of the whole forecast is Friday morning, the 24th of July. We’re looking at a serious 12ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is massive. That’s strong. The wind is a light cross-shore from the SSE at 6 mph, and the conditions are described as favorable for tide and wind. However, this is a big one – over 8ft, so it’s strictly for the experts. The boys who know what they’re doing will be having a session.
After that, things settle a bit. The morning of Saturday the 25th is a good one for experienced surfers too, with a 8ft SW swell and a clean cross-offshore SE wind at 6 mph. It’s clean. Then Sunday the 26th, the afternoon goes glassy with a 6ft SW swell – that’s a beautiful, clean option for those who want to cruise.
Looking further out, the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August is a serious one for the experienced crew. We’ve got a 7ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period, a clean offshore wind from the ENE at 6 mph, and the energy is strong. That’s a long-period swell, so it’ll be a bit more powerful and have longer lulls, but it’s a standout for that week.
The water temperature is sitting around 58°F, which is about 2°F cooler than normal for this time of year. It’s a bit nippy, but you’ll be fine with a good suit.
So, if you’re an expert, Friday the 24th of July is the one to circle. For everyone else, Saturday the 25th morning and Sunday the 26th afternoon are your best bets for clean, manageable waves. Even though it’s a fairly consistent break, keep an eye on the wind for the later sessions, as the afternoons can get a bit onshore.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 11 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
868 | 1080 | 492 | 279 | 322 | 1664 | 2205 | 1799 | 1319 | 1311 | 680 | 1026 | 770 | 6128 | 4302 | 2901 | 1975 | 1777 | 1500 | 1169 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 12:11PM1.02m | 00:19AM1.11m | 1:10PM1.09m | 1:14AM1.17m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:24AM0.33m | 1:21PM0.39m | 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 | ||||||||
— | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
868 | 1080 | 492 | 279 | 113 | 1664 | 2205 | 1799 | 1319 | 1311 | 680 | 1026 | 770 | 6128 | 4302 | 2901 | 1975 | 1777 | 1500 | 1169 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | SSW 16 | W 9 | W 9 | — | SSW 15 | — | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | — | — | — | SSW 16 | — | — | — |
100 | 153 | 117 | 92 | 322 | 39 | 24 | — | 21 | — | 237 | 97 | 222 | — | — | — | 105 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
19 | 9 | 6 | 50 | 118 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 90 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 4 | N 4 | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — | SSE 5 | — |
— | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 10 | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | 30 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 31 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 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.










