
Surf Forecasts:
Eerste Steen surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 7,237 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s 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 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m 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 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) 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 0.6m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Eerste Steen over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya with a look at what's ahead for Eerste Steen.
First thing to note... the water temp is sittin' at 58.1°F, which is just a touch cooler than average for this time of year, so you'll want a decent wetsuit.
The week kicks off on Monday morning, July 20th, with some nice clean surf. We're talkin' a 5.6ft SW groundswell, period at 9 seconds, combined energy of 583 - moderate but punchy. A light N cross-offshore wind means the faces are gonna be clean and inviting. Eerste Steen is fairly exposed to the SW, so it's lining up just right. Not a huge day, but a nice way to start.
Things get a bit more serious on Tuesday. The swell bumps up to 7.9ft from the SW, and that period jumps to 14 seconds (moderate energy at 2210). That's a lot of water moving, but the wind is looking cross-shore, so the surface won't be a total dream. It's doable, but a little tricky. If you're experienced, you'll still find some fun ones.
Now, Wednesday morning, July 22nd, is where it gets really good. The swell is a solid 7.2ft from the SW, period at 12 seconds (energy 1424), but the magic is the wind. It's glassy. A total 5 mph W wind making for mirror-smooth waves. This is the standout session of the first half of the week. Eerste Steen loves this setup, and with an offshore direction of ENE, it's going to be clean, shaped, and firing. It might get a little local heavy on the bigger sets, but for experienced surfers, this is the call.
Thursday morning, July 23rd is also looking prime. A 7.9ft WSW swell (period 11 seconds, energy 1358) with a solid cross-offshore breeze from the NNE at 9 mph. Clean, powerful, and well-formed. Another excellent morning in the water.
Friday, July 24th brings a monster. A 11.5ft SW groundswell with a very long 14-second period and a massive 4749 combined energy. That's a lot of ocean power. The wind looks clean and offshore, but honestly... this is too much for Eerste Steen. The swell direction (SW) hits it right, but at this size, it's just gonna be a washing machine. Only for absolute experts, and even then, it's sketchy. I'd skip it unless you've got a death wish.
Saturday morning, July 25th is a nice reset. The swell drops to a more manageable 6.2ft SW (13-second period, energy 1992), and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the ESE. Consistent, clean, and fun for a wide range of surfers.
Sunday, July 26th has a nice note to end the week on. Morning has a 6.9ft SW swell (12 seconds) with a clean cross-offshore, and then in the afternoon, it goes glassy. The afternoon session with the WNW wind dropping to 3 mph and glassy conditions is the hidden gem of the weekend.
Then things get a bit messy. Monday, July 27th, the wind really picks up with a strong 19 mph cross-shore, making things lumpy. The swell is still 6.9ft SW with more energy, but the surface is going to be tough. Then Tuesday and Wednesday, July 28th and 29th, the swell again gets way too big, 11.5ft to 13.1ft SW, with onshore and cross-onshore winds. That's game over for this spot.
The first week of August sees a big drop in swell with rain and strong winds. Thursday, July 30th to the end of the forecast is a write-off. The swell gets small, wind is ugly, and it's just not worth paddling out. A few small windows for a sneaky wave on the 30th morning (9.8ft SW, but still, heavy winds) or the 31st (7.9ft SW, but strong winds) but it's a hard pass.
So, to sum it up: the real standout sessions are Wednesday morning, July 22nd for that glassy perfection, and Saturday morning, July 25th for a cleaner, more manageable swell after the big stuff passes.
Stay stoked.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
488 | 286 | 258 | 2171 | 2426 | 1799 | 1381 | 1189 | 488 | 1358 | 753 | 7237 | 4749 | 3773 | 2693 | 1112 | 1525 | 1131 | 1130 | 1074 | 961 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | glassy | 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 | 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 | 7:43AM0.38m | 7:59PM0.45m | ||||||||
7:46 | — | — | 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 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 17 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 9 | SW 8 | SSW 8 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
488 | 286 | 98 | 2171 | 2426 | 1799 | 1381 | 1189 | 488 | 1358 | 753 | 7237 | 4749 | 3773 | 2693 | 1112 | 1525 | 1131 | 1130 | 1074 | 961 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | SW 16 | W 9 | W 9 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | — | WSW 12 | — | — | SSW 18 | — | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | — | SW 15 | SW 15 |
89 | 120 | 258 | 39 | 14 | — | 43 | 115 | 308 | — | 237 | — | — | 214 | — | 880 | 317 | 246 | — | 255 | 258 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 6 | — | — | — |
6 | 50 | 120 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 299 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 5 | N 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 75 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.










