Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 25 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 6,514 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 12s 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 Saturday (Jul 25) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s. 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 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 8ft (2.4m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what we’ve got coming up for Horse Trails. This is a sandbar set-up that’s fairly exposed to the SW, and the best direction for it is SW. We’ve got a bit of a wait for the real magic, but there are some windows.
The forecast kicks off on Saturday the 25th of July with a 8ft SW swell, but it’s a cross-shore wind and the conditions are just marginal. Not the time to paddle out. The water is sitting at 57° which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year.
Sunday the 26th is where things start to look up. You’ve got a 7ft SW swell with a nice 12-second period, and the wind goes glassy in the morning. The combined energy is solid (1398), and the wave comment flags it as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a standout morning. The 6ft afternoon will still be okay, but the cross-shore wind picks up.
Monday the 27th is a mess. The swell jumps to 8ft with a 16-second period, which is a long-period groundswell, but the wind is a fresh 35 km/h cross-shore. The energy is big (3281), but the wind is going to chop it up for the morning. The afternoon sees a cross-off wind cleaning it up, but it’s still a wild one and only for the experts.
The real sweet spot looks like Tuesday the 28th afternoon. You’ve got 8ft of SW swell, 14-second period, and the wind turns offshore at 15 km/h. The energy is strong (2384), and the wave comment says it’s excellent for experienced surfers. That’s a session to circle.
Wednesday the 29th morning has a cleaner 6ft with offshore wind, but the energy drops to 1085. It’s a good wave, but not as powerful as Tuesday.
After that, the swell drops off into the 3ft to 5ft range through the end of July and into early August. The winds are light, sometimes glassy, but the energy is weak (under 650). It’s a quiet spell for a few days.
We get a bit of a pulse again on Monday the 3rd of August. A 6ft SW swell, 13-second period, with clean offshore wind in the morning. The energy is moderate (1021). It’s a solid, fun option.
The next big standout is a bit further out, on Friday the 7th of August. This one is a monster: 10ft of SW swell, 13-second period, with glassy conditions in the morning. The wave energy is massive (3456), but the file explicitly states the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is for experts only, and even then, it’s a beast. The afternoon holds the same size.
Sunday the 9th of August brings a cleaner morning: 6ft swell, glassy wind, and excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The energy is strong (1935). This is a solid call to end the forecast.
Overall, the standout is the Sunday morning of the 26th of July for the glassy conditions and solid 7ft swell, and the Tuesday afternoon of the 28th of July for the offshore wind and strong 8ft swell. The big 10ft on the 7th of August is a monster, but it’s only for the brave.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, strong winds from the SSE by Mon afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1789 | 1632 | 1172 | 977 | 734 | 3253 | 3715 | 2814 | 2119 | 2032 | 1367 | 1050 | 865 | 772 | 619 | 600 | 537 | 373 | 273 | 213 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 1:14AM1.17m | 1:53PM1.18m | 1:56AM1.25m | 2:29PM1.27m | 2:33AM1.32m | 3:02PM1.36m | 3:06AM1.38m | 3:33PM1.43m | 3:38AM1.41m | 4:03PM1.49m | 4:09AM1.43m | 4:33PM1.52m | 4:41AM1.42m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:16PM0.54m | 7:43AM0.38m | 7:59PM0.45m | 8:20AM0.30m | 8:36PM0.38m | 8:52AM0.23m | 9:09PM0.31m | 9:22AM0.17m | 9:40PM0.25m | 9:50AM0.13m | 10:11PM0.22m | 10:18AM0.12m | 10:42PM0.20m | |||||||
 |  | | |  | | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — |
 | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 |
| kJ | 1789 | 1632 | 1172 | 977 | 734 | 3253 | 3715 | 2814 | 2119 | 2032 | 1367 | 1050 | 865 | 772 | 619 | 600 | 537 | 373 | 273 | 213 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | — | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 12 | — | — | — | — | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 6 | — | — | — | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | S 7 |
| kJ | 25 | — | 226 | 220 | 412 | — | — | — | — | 124 | 48 | 35 | 10 | — | — | — | 41 | 14 | 15 | 28 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 11 | SSW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 20 | 195 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 27 | 88 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 3 | S 5 | S 4 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | SE 7 | S 4 | S 6 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 5 | 59 | 28 | 766 | 395 | 202 | 228 | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | 31 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 221 | 164 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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 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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