Surf Forecasts:
Eerste Steen surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, SW swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 13s period, SW swell with 5,746 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 12s period. 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 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Eerste Steen over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s have a look at the waves ahead for Eerste Steen. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. For the next week or so, there’s surf on offer, but it’s mostly going to be a battle with the wind and the chop. The water’s sitting at a chilly 55° — that’s almost 5° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’re going to want the thickest rubber you’ve got. It’s a notable drop, for sure.
The first real window kicks off this Tuesday, the 18th. We’ve got a 8ft WSW swell pushing in with a 12-second period. The energy is moderate, coming in at 2413. But the problem is the wind is cross-shore from the south, which is going to leave it a bit lumpy. It's surfable, but it's not going to be pretty. That trend continues through Wednesday and Thursday, with the swell actually building to a solid 10ft by Thursday morning. But again, that cross-shore breeze is going to keep things messy. The energy is getting stronger though, hitting 3031. The period stays around 13 seconds.
Friday the 21st sees the swell ease off a bit to 7ft, and the wind swings more cross-on from the SSW. It’s a downward trend, and honestly, not worth getting too excited about. The energy drops to 969, which is weak.
Then Saturday the 22nd is a write-off. The morning brings rain and a strong cross-onshore wind, making it a complete mess. But hold on, the afternoon is a different story. The swell jumps to a massive 13ft from the SW with a 12-second period and the energy rockets up to 4657, which is strong to very strong. The wind actually goes offshore. It sounds ideal, but the problem is, 13ft is simply too big for this break. It’s only for the experts, and even then, it's pushing it. The setup looks like it would be more interesting for the kite crew than us paddle surfers.
Sunday the 23rd settles down a bit to 10ft, but the wind is back onshore, and the quality drops off. Monday the 24th is small and weak, with the swell dropping below the 5ft mark. We’re looking at a bit of a flat spell here.
Now, let's talk about the real standout. Tuesday, the 25th of August is the one to circle. The morning session is where it’s at. We’ve got a 8ft SW groundswell with a long 14-second period. The energy is moderate-to-strong at 2741. But the key is the wind: a light cross-offshore breeze from the SE. That’s going to clean it right up. This is the best combination of size, period, and wind we see in the whole forecast. This is your window. It’s going to be a proper, lined-up SW swell, and Eerste Steen will be handling it well. Get out there for the early.
The rest of that week is a step down. Wednesday the 26th has some promise in the afternoon, with the wind going glassy and the swell at 6ft, but it's a lot smaller and less consistent.
Looking further out into the second week, things get more promising but less certain. Saturday the 30th of August is another one that grabs my attention. The forecast is for a big 12ft SW swell and the wind is forecast to be glassy from the SE. The energy is a massive 4529, which is very strong. But, just like the 22nd, 12ft is too big for this break. It's a shame, because the conditions would be perfect. It’s a day for the experts only, and even then, it’s a maybe.
The following Monday, the 31st, looks like another solid pick. The swell drops to a more manageable 8ft with a clean cross-offshore wind in the morning. The afternoon looks even better, with the wind going totally calm and a 7ft swell. That should clean up beautifully.
Into September, the first couple of days see a lot of onshore wind and rain, so I’d give those a miss. The surf stays solid, but the conditions are poor.
So, to sum it up: the pick of the forecast is Tuesday morning, the 25th of August. That’s the one. A close second is Monday the 31st. The big swells on the 22nd and 30th are impressive, but there’s just too much water moving for Eerste Steen. Keep an eye on the long-range, it looks like it’s shaping up to be a good run, but the near-term is a bit of a grind. Stay patient, and be ready for that Tuesday morning session.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1735 | 2345 | 2379 | 1866 | 1638 | 1591 | 3031 | 2497 | 1524 | 969 | 802 | 340 | 947 | 4657 | 4284 | 2402 | 1807 | 1372 | 559 | 370 | 1044 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 6:48PM1.29m | 7:12AM1.10m | 7:29PM1.15m | 8:07AM0.99m | 8:32PM1.04m | 9:49AM0.92m | 10:25PM0.98m | 11:54AM0.96m | 00:06AM1.04m | 12:58PM1.07m | 1:01AM1.13m | 1:36PM1.19m | 1:40AM1.24m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:30PM0.38m | 1:08AM0.42m | 1:06PM0.51m | 1:55AM0.54m | 1:57PM0.63m | 3:19AM0.62m | 3:53PM0.70m | 5:32AM0.61m | 6:08PM0.66m | 6:46AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:27AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | ||||||||
7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | |
— | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 13 |
1735 | 2345 | 2379 | 1866 | 1638 | 1591 | 3031 | 2497 | 1524 | 969 | 802 | 340 | 947 | 4657 | 4284 | 2402 | 1807 | 1372 | 559 | 370 | 1044 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | WSW 11 |
678 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 379 | 255 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 264 | 236 | 198 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 15 | SW 16 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | 375 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 3 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 341 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 0 | 39 | 39 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 2 |
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.











