
Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, SW swell with 5,529 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period with W 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 18s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 3s 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 3.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. The standout spot is Horse Trails, a sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent and picks up a lot of SW groundswell. Water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing wild to report.
The first few days are a mixed bag. Wednesday the 15th is a write-off – we’ve got a messy 4ft cross-onshore wind swell with a weak energy reading (1157), and the tide is all wrong. Thursday the 16th starts to look promising. Thursday morning is a real highlight: glassy conditions, 8ft of SW groundswell with a solid 13-second period, and the energy is pumping at 2381. That’s clean, strong, and has some proper grunt to it. It’s a bit on the bigger side for beginners, but for any intermediate surfer, it’s a cracker. Watch out for the crowds though – they’re sometimes around here.
Friday the 17th is still good, with 7ft of SW swell and a clean cross-off wind in the morning, but the energy drops off to 897. It’s a solid session, just not the standout. Saturday the 18th fades significantly – down to 3ft, glassy in the morning but weak, so it’s a small-wave option.
Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th are nothing special, with onshore cross-winds and middling swell. Monday morning does see a glassy 7ft from the SSW (1049 energy), which is a decent workable window. Then things get serious. From Tuesday the 21st right through to the end of the month, the swell pumps up to 10ft to 13ft, and the energy numbers go through the roof – 5544, 6425, 7421. That’s a huge amount of power. But here’s the catch: the forecast says the swell is too big for this break. It’s going to be a washing machine, only for the most experienced experts, and honestly, even then it might be too much. The wind is often cross-off or glassy, but the sheer size will make it chaotic and dangerous for most.
The last couple of days of the month, the 26th and 27th, offer a bit of a reprieve. Sunday the 26th has a clean 7ft from the south with offshore winds, and Monday the 27th brings a beautiful 5ft from the west with clean offshore winds turning glassy in the afternoon. That’s a much more manageable size and quality. The energy is around 1568 to 1342 – solid, but not scary.
So, the best on offer is that Thursday the 16th morning session – glassy, 8ft, good direction, and plenty of energy. The second standout is the more manageable window on Monday the 27th, with clean offshore winds and a nice 5-5ft swell. For the rest of the period, it’s either too small or too big. The long-range big stuff from the 21st onwards is promising for the sheer power, but it’s a gamble – only if you’re a proper charger and you know the break well.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri night, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tue 21 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
132 | 963 | 3040 | 3558 | 2381 | 1671 | 1169 | 897 | 623 | 377 | 257 | 398 | 772 | 736 | 807 | 806 | 923 | 785 | 2111 | 5520 | 5161 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:42AM1.56m | 4:12PM1.61m | 4:28AM1.54m | 4:55PM1.63m | 5:12AM1.48m | 5:37PM1.59m | 5:55AM1.39m | 6:19PM1.52m | 6:38AM1.28m | 7:01PM1.42m | 7:23AM1.17m | 7:45PM1.31m | 8:15AM1.07m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:38PM0.10m | 9:58AM-0.00m | 10:25PM0.08m | 10:40AM0.01m | 11:11PM0.09m | 11:20AM0.07m | 11:55PM0.15m | 12:00PM0.16m | 00:39AM0.23m | 12:39PM0.27m | 1:24AM0.33m | 1:21PM0.39m | 2:14AM0.43m | 2:09PM0.51m | |||||||
— | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | |
5:53 | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | S 11 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
132 | 963 | 3040 | 3558 | 2381 | 1671 | 1169 | 897 | 623 | 377 | 151 | 398 | 772 | 736 | 807 | 806 | 923 | 785 | 2111 | 5520 | 5161 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | WSW 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | S 14 | S 13 | WSW 9 | S 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | — |
108 | 135 | 110 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 51 | 121 | 110 | 256 | 403 | 181 | 121 | 116 | 85 | 56 | 24 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SW 14 | WSW 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | W 9 | — | — |
52 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | 257 | 86 | 50 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 39 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 31 |
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.











