
Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 18s period, SW swell with 2,946 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period with SSE 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 (Sep 05) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 10s is also forecast. 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 2.2m 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 18s |
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 cooking at Horse Trails over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the wait is worth it. The first few days are a bit of a write-off with some lumpy, short-period windswell and cross-off winds, so don’t bother paddling out until things settle down. The real action kicks off after a few days of nothing.
The standout window is Thursday, September 10th in the afternoon. That’s when things get serious. We’re looking at a solid 8ft swell from the SW, with a long period of 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is light and cross-offshore, keeping the faces clean. The combined swell energy is a meaty 3080 (strong), so there’s plenty of push. This is excellent for experienced surfers; it’s too big for beginners. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
Another absolute cracker is Thursday, September 17th in the morning. This is the one to circle on the calendar. We’ve got an 8ft swell from the W, a 13-second period, and a gentle cross-off breeze. The combined energy hits 4179 (very strong), and the conditions are clean. Again, this is expert territory with that size, and the longer period will make the waves at this sandbar setup a bit more powerful and lined up, but it’s a point-and-reef style spot, so that long period is a blessing, not a curse. Expect crowds to be possible.
Before that, Tuesday, September 8th morning offers a brief moment of calm. It’s glassy with a tiny 3ft swell from the WSW, but the energy is weak (476). It’s a good option for a beginner session or a longboard, but not the standout.
Saturday, September 12th morning also has a clean 8ft swell from the SSE, but with a short 8-second period, it’ll be a bit more of a close-out wave at the beach. Still, it’s clean and cross-off, so for the experienced crew, it’s worth a look.
The second week then tapers off. Friday, September 18th morning has a nice 6ft W swell at 14 seconds with light cross-off winds, but it's smaller. The final stand-out is Saturday, September 19th morning – glassy conditions with a 7ft S swell, but the period is a shorter 11 seconds, so it might not have the same grunt as the big days.
Between the 10th and the 17th, there’s a gap of a few days where the wind and swell don’t align, so don’t get too excited mid-week. The long-range standouts on the 17th are promising, but remember, it’s a long way out, so lock it in loosely.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 25°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 8 | S 10 | SW 21 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | S 8 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
521 | 455 | 2326 | 2946 | 1852 | 1343 | 1398 | 1069 | 454 | 294 | 140 | 172 | 342 | 295 | 730 | 2626 | 2518 | 1647 | 880 | 937 | 858 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:47AM1.03m | 10:28PM1.12m | 11:37AM1.12m | 00:03AM1.20m | 12:46PM1.27m | 1:05AM1.32m | 1:34PM1.43m | 1:53AM1.44m | 2:15PM1.57m | 2:33AM1.51m | 2:51PM1.66m | 3:10AM1.55m | 3:25PM1.70m | 3:44AM1.55m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:58PM0.59m | 5:14AM0.47m | 5:54PM0.50m | 6:31AM0.35m | 7:02PM0.34m | 7:23AM0.22m | 7:50PM0.20m | 8:04AM0.12m | 8:31PM0.08m | 8:41AM0.05m | 9:08PM0.01m | 9:15AM0.02m | 9:42PM-0.01m | ||||||||
6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
— | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:34 | — | — | 6:34 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 18 | 14 | 18 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | WSW 10 | SW 21 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 9 |
290 | 38 | 2326 | 2946 | 1852 | 1343 | 1398 | 1069 | 454 | 294 | 119 | 172 | 342 | 295 | 730 | 2626 | 2518 | 1647 | 880 | 500 | 580 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 10 | SW 25 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 6 | — | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 | W 11 | W 11 | W 20 | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 11 |
92 | 163 | 315 | 129 | 78 | 56 | 15 | — | 303 | 156 | 140 | 140 | 21 | 9 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 239 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 10 | SW 25 | SSW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | WSW 16 | S 10 | S 9 | W 11 | — | S 8 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 14 |
68 | 162 | 65 | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 26 | 49 | 27 | 21 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 167 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | S 10 | SSE 8 | — | SSE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 3 | S 4 | S 4 | S 5 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 9 |
521 | 455 | 583 | — | 202 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 14 | 38 | 65 | 52 | 104 | 263 | 761 | 937 | 858 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 72 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 2 | 323 | 120 | 2 |
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.










