Horse Trails Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.78° S 18.45° E

Horse Trails Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 07 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Horse Trails sea temperature is
13.3° C
2.1° 

Horse Trails surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Horse Trails surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,474 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Horse Trails this week:

The surf forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Horse Trails in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) 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 0.9m 6s period and expected on Friday (Aug 14) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Fri 7th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 14s
Best Surf 8AM (Fri 7th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 14s
Most Powerful 8PM (Sat 8th Aug)11ft (3.5m) 14s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Horse Trails.

Overall, we’ve got a solid run of surf coming, but the first couple of days are a bit of a write-off for most of us. The water is sitting at 56°, which is a good 4° colder than usual for this time of year – that’s a proper chill, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit.

The surf kicks off on Friday, August 7th, but don’t get too excited. There’s a big 10ft SW groundswell (14-second period) pouring in, with a combined energy of 3673 – that’s some serious power. But for a sandbar like Horse Trails, it’s just too much. It’s a big, daunting wave that’s only for the absolute top-tier experts. Add a cross-off morning breeze that shifts to a cross-on in the afternoon, and the conditions are messy. This is a day to watch from the beach.

Saturday, August 8th, is where it starts to get interesting. The morning is the real standout. The swell drops to a still-heavy 8ft from the SW (13-second period, 2221 energy), but it’s glassy. Absolutely glassy. That’s a rare gift for a wave this size. This is excellent, clean power for experienced surfers, but it’s still solid, so leave the foamies at home. The afternoon turns onshore and lumpy, so make the most of the early session.

Sunday, August 9th, forget it. Strong, messy cross-shore winds kill the vibe completely. Monday, August 10th, is marginal with a smaller 6ft swell and moderate cross-off winds; it’s clean but just not that exciting.

Now, here’s the real run of quality. From Tuesday, August 11th, through to Sunday, August 17th, we get a fantastic stretch. Tuesday morning has a clean 6ft SSW groundswell with light cross-off winds – very good conditions. But the standout window is Wednesday, August 12th, through to Saturday, August 15th. Wednesday morning brings a 6ft WSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period and clean offshore winds (energy 2142). The tide will be key, but that’s a dreamy, lined-up wave. Thursday and Friday keep the quality up with 7ft to 8ft WSW groundswells under clean offshore breezes. Saturday, August 15th, is another gem: 8ft WSW groundswell (15-second period, 2386 energy) with a glassy morning. That’s the best of the best on offer – big, clean, powerful, and perfect for a crew of experienced surfers.

The second week starts to fade. The swell stays around 5ft to 8ft, but the winds become more onshore and cross-shore, making things lumpy. The last few days, from August 20th onward, are poor with messy wind and a washing-machine chop. The final weekend, August 22nd and 23rd, sees a spike in swell size again, but it’s accompanied by strong, dirty winds – not a good mix for Horse Trails.

The pick: Saturday, August 15th, morning. Glassy conditions, solid 8ft WSW groundswell, and a long period. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. But remember, this is a sandbar; with a long period swell that size, it’ll be breaking fast and hollow. Expert only.

Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the SSE by Sun morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Mon afternoon, calm by Wed afternoon).

Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
!
!
!
4
!
!
0
0
3
1
1
4
3
2
4
4
3
4
4
4
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
3
SW
14
3.5
SW
14
3
SW
14
2.5
SW
13
3.5
SW
14
3.5
SW
13
3
SW
12
3.5
SSW
12
2.5
SSW
12
1.7
SW
11
1.7
S
10
2.3
SSW
13
1.9
SSW
12
1.6
SSW
12
1.3
WSW
21
1.7
WSW
18
1.9
WSW
18
1.9
SW
16
2.3
WSW
17
2
WSW
16
1.8
WSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
3673
4370
3397
2221
4262
3732
2397
3128
1794
676
535
1877
1051
660
1527
1966
2138
1916
3192
1904
1527
Wind (km/h)
5
ESE
15
SW
10
S
5
NW
10
W
15
S
35
SSE
35
SSE
20
SE
25
SE
25
SSE
15
ESE
10
E
10
S
10
E
10
ENE
10
S
15
ENE
15
NE
10
ENE
15
ENE
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
cross
glassy
on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
off
off
cross
off
off
off
off
High Tide
9:52AM1.05m
10:22PM1.20m
11:32AM1.10m
11:55PM1.25m
12:48PM1.23m
1:05AM1.35m
1:45PM1.37m
2:00AM1.45m
2:32PM1.51m
2:47AM1.53m
3:13PM1.62m
3:29AM1.57m
3:52PM1.68m
4:09AM1.56m
Low Tide
3:47PM0.55m
5:09AM0.43m
5:37PM0.51m
6:32AM0.33m
6:57PM0.39m
7:32AM0.21m
7:55PM0.25m
8:19AM0.10m
8:44PM0.13m
9:01AM0.02m
9:27PM0.05m
9:40AM-0.01m
10:07PM0.02m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:33
7:31
7:31
7:30
7:28
7:28
7:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:09
6:10
6:12
6:12
6:13
6:14
6:14
 mm
1
Temp °C
13
16
13
14
15
13
13
13
13
13
14
11
11
18
17
18
22
22
23
27
25
Feels °C
11
14
11
13
13
10
4
4
6
6
6
7
8
15
14
15
20
17
18
24
21
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Horse Trails Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Horse Trails provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Horse Trails can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Horse Trails 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 (Horse Trails) 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 Horse Trails 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.

Horse Trails 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.

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