
Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 5,438 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (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 (Jul 24) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore 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 1.4m 6s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| 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, grab your wettie, ‘cause things are looking tasty for Horse Trails. This spot is a classic sandbar set-up that’s fairly exposed to the dominant SW swell, and in this forecast window it’s gonna see some serious action. We’ve got a big run coming your way, so let’s break it down.
The week kicks off with a strong pulse of SW groundswell. Friday, July 24th, we’ve got a solid 10 ft SW swell with a period of 14 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The cross-on breeze from the SSW isn't doing it any favours, and with a combined energy of 3536, this is heavy. It’s going to be raw and powerful, and honestly, for most of us, it’s too big. Stick to the smaller stuff or the inside reform if you’re game.
Water temps are sitting a bit colder than normal, around 57°, which is a good reminder why we have steamer hoods.
The real magic, the absolute standout of the whole window, drops on Saturday morning, July 25th. The swell eases to a still beefy 7 ft from the SW, but the wind swings to a clean, cross-off SE breeze at only 10 km/h. The conditions are just... perfect. Clean lines, moderate energy (1961), and that classic Horse Trails shape. This is your window for expert-level performance surfing. The water will be clean, tide favourable, and it's just on. If you only make one call in the next week, make it Saturday morning.
Sunday, July 26th, keeps the goodness going, with a lighter glassy morning. The swell drops to 7 ft and the wind goes completely glassy. The combined energy is still a healthy 1398, and the period holds at 12 seconds. It’s going to be picturesque, but watch the tide and the afternoon cross-on trying to mess it up.
Monday, July 27th, is when the wheels fall off. That big SW swell gets hit by a strong SSE wind at 25 mph, creating an absolute washing machine. The combined energy spikes to 3545, but with 16-second period and that wind, it’s pure chaos. The morning is a write-off, and the afternoon is still a messy, lumpy mess. This is a day for the beach or a coffee, not a surf.
Tuesday, July 28th, the swell re-fires back up to 10 ft, and this time the winds are looking much better – light, cross-off ESE breezes. The energy is massive at 3803, but again, that’s too much power for a sandbar. Only the most experienced chargers will be out there, and they’ll need a jet ski to get out. Strong currents and heavy drops. Not for the faint-hearted.
From Wednesday, July 29th, onwards, the sizes start to drop, and the quality improves for the rest of the week. We’re looking at fun, manageable 6 ft to 4 ft SW swells with light winds. Thursday morning, July 30th, is a glassy 5 ft day (543 energy) – great for a longboard on the inside. And Friday, July 31st, the afternoon comes in clean and glassy again at 5 ft (711 energy). Strong and consistent fun.
Then there’s a quiet gap into the first week of August. A few small swells, some cross-on winds, but nothing you’d paddle for in a hurry.
But hold on. Look further out. August 5th, Wednesday morning, the ocean flips the switch again. We get a glassy, 8 ft SW groundswell with a long 14-second period and a combined energy of 2451. That’s "excellent for experienced surfers". The wind is dead calm. It’s going to be epic and clean, with powerful lines. This will be the second standout of the window – a proper, long-range call but one worth circling on the calendar. After that, the sizes just keep climbing, and by August 6th through 8th, we’re back into 12 ft to 13 ft territory. Those days are strictly for the professionals and the tow crews – the energy will be over 5000, which is very strong. It’s going to be a sight to see, but a nightmare to paddle.
So, to sum it up: Saturday July 25th morning is your absolute number one. The best combination of size, wind, and cleanliness. Then, keep your eyes on Wednesday August 5th for the next big, clean round of standout waves. The rest is a mix of decent windows and heavy, expert-only slabs.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, strong winds from the SSE by Mon morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Mon afternoon, calm by Thu morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
3536 | 2158 | 1583 | 1789 | 1632 | 1172 | 1042 | 734 | 3545 | 3715 | 3023 | 3517 | 4112 | 2446 | 1200 | 905 | 700 | 531 | 528 | 529 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 00:19AM1.11m | 1:10PM1.09m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:16PM0.61m | 6:58AM0.46m | 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 | |||||||
— | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | |
6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 13 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 |
3536 | 2158 | 1583 | 1789 | 1632 | 1172 | 1042 | 734 | 3545 | 3715 | 3023 | 3517 | 4112 | 2446 | 1200 | 905 | 700 | 531 | 528 | 529 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | — | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | — | — | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 |
— | — | 378 | 25 | — | 226 | 220 | 412 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | — | — | 8 | 8 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 9 | SSW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 10 | — | W 20 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 197 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — | — | — | S 5 | — | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | — | — | SSE 5 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | 49 | — | 592 | 280 | 286 | 264 | 150 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 164 | 128 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 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.










