
Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 6 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SSW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 8 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 15s period, SW swell with 3,228 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 6 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 11s period with WSW 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 Monday (Jul 06) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Horse Trails in the next 16 days are 2.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 08) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Mon 6th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Wed 8th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s lining up for Horse Trails over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a solid run of surf kicking off right away, with the real standout coming mid-week. The water temp is sitting at 56°F — that’s 4°F colder than what’s normal for this time of year, so it’s well below average. You’ll want a good thick wetsuit.
The first couple of days, Monday July 6 and Tuesday July 7, are looking tasty. Monday morning you’ve got clean 7ft swell from the WSW with a period of 11 seconds, and glassy conditions under a light ENE breeze. The combined energy is pumping at 1226 (moderate to strong). It’s a bit on the bigger side, but still manageable for most intermediates. By Tuesday afternoon, the swell bumps up to 7ft from the SW with a 13-second period, and the energy jumps to 1719 — these waves will have some real push and nice shape. Winds are glassy, so expect clean faces.
Now, Wednesday July 8 morning is the real standout. It’s a 7ft SW swell, 13-second period, and the combined energy hits 2316 (strong). Winds are glassy from the SSW. That’s a beautiful combo for Horse Trails — the long period groundswell will wrap in nicely, and the offshore direction will keep it looking smooth. This is the best morning of the whole outlook. The afternoon does get a bit of cross-onshore breeze, so make the most of the early session.
Thursday July 9 and Friday July 10 see the swell size jump up to 8ft to 10ft. That’s expert territory, and the cross-shore winds are not doing us any favours for a clean paddle. For the average surfer, this is a pass. The setup might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing through that period.
The weekend of July 11-12 looks better. Saturday morning the 11th is glassy with a 7ft SSW swell, period of 12 seconds, and strong energy at 1697. That’s a solid session. Sunday morning the 12th is smaller at 5ft from the S, but still clean and glassy. Not as punchy, but a good option for a relaxed paddle.
There’s a bit of a lull from Monday July 13 through to Wednesday July 15. Swell drops to under 3ft, and conditions are average at best. A few days of small, weak surf.
Thursday July 16 morning brings things back to life. A 6ft SW swell with a 12-second period, glassy conditions, and combined energy of 1098 — that’s a solid, clean session worth marking on your calendar.
The following weekend, July 19-20, looks promising again. Sunday July 19 has a 7ft WSW swell, 13-second period, with clean cross-offshore winds in the morning. The energy is 1498. That’s another high-quality day. The afternoon goes glassy and smaller at 6ft.
The final days of the outlook, July 20-21, drop off again. Swell shrinks to 3ft to 5ft, and conditions are only marginal. Not much to write home about.
Crowds at Horse Trails can be an issue, especially on the standouts, so get in early. The swell direction is mostly from the SW or WSW, which lines up nicely with the optimum direction for this spot.
Overall, Wednesday July 8 morning is the absolute best of the bunch, with Tuesday July 7 afternoon and Sunday July 19 morning as the next best bets.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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 11 | WSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1183 | 645 | 1075 | 1065 | 1534 | 1846 | 1535 | 1305 | 3068 | 2609 | 2598 | 2887 | 2588 | 2366 | 1237 | 1289 | 1072 | 750 | 535 | 246 | 703 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | glassy |
High Tide | 7:27PM1.34m | 7:53AM1.14m | 8:20PM1.31m | 9:01AM1.10m | 9:26PM1.29m | 10:21AM1.10m | 10:42PM1.29m | 11:40AM1.15m | 11:57PM1.34m | 12:49PM1.25m | 1:03AM1.41m | 1:48PM1.36m | 2:02AM1.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:59PM0.35m | 1:48AM0.38m | 1:49PM0.41m | 2:50AM0.40m | 2:52PM0.47m | 4:03AM0.39m | 4:12PM0.49m | 5:22AM0.34m | 5:37PM0.45m | 6:34AM0.26m | 6:51PM0.37m | 7:34AM0.17m | 7:53PM0.26m | ||||||||
7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | |
— | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 16 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 |
1183 | 645 | 1075 | 1065 | 1534 | 1846 | 1535 | 1305 | 3068 | 2609 | 2598 | 2887 | 2588 | 2366 | 1237 | 1289 | 1072 | 750 | 535 | 246 | 703 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 16 | S 11 | — | — | SW 13 | W 14 | W 12 | S 8 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 |
43 | 580 | 357 | 282 | 112 | 188 | 781 | 1039 | 66 | — | — | 821 | 16 | 27 | 217 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 83 | 52 | 48 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 11 | — | SW 23 | SW 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | S 14 | SW 15 |
— | 58 | — | 21 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 64 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 40 | 94 | 34 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 316 | 310 | 306 | 302 | 175 | 140 | 101 | 68 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










