
Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, WSW swell with 4,312 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s 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 Saturday (Aug 01) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Horse Trails in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
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 heading our way.
We’ve got a solid run of surf on the cards, starting with a few smaller, clean days before a big pulse of SW groundswell moves in. The first couple of days are fun but not huge, then things really start to ramp up.
Saturday morning is a nice, gentle start. The swell is a clean 4ft from the SW at 14 seconds, and with a light offshore breeze from the ENE, it’s going to be tidy out there. The wave energy is sitting at 585 (moderate), and it’s a good one to get the weekend rolling.
Sunday morning keeps that same 4ft, 13-second SW swell, with a light NNE cross-off breeze keeping the faces clean. It’s a similar story to Saturday, just a touch less energy.
Monday morning is where we start to see a real step up. The swell pushes to 5ft from the SW at 13 seconds, and the wind goes glassy from the NE. The wave energy jumps to 770 (moderate) and it’s going to be absolutely glassy perfection. This is the first real standout of the forecast – a morning of clean, punchy waves with no breeze to mess them up.
Tuesday morning stays fun with 5ft SW swell, though the period drops to 11 seconds. The wind is glassy again from the NNW, so you’ll have another clean morning, but the energy is a bit lower at 483.
Wednesday morning is the start of the serious stuff. The swell jumps to 8ft from the SW at 14 seconds, and the wave energy is a strong 2155. The wind is a moderate cross-off from the N, keeping it clean. This is serious intermediate-to-expert territory. The size is getting up there, and you’ll feel the power.
Thursday morning through Saturday morning is just bomb after bomb. We’re looking at 10ft to 12ft SW swell with a good 13-second period. The wave energy is between 2722 and 3897 (strong to very strong). The wind is a mix of cross and cross-on, so the faces won’t be perfect glass, but there’s a ton of power. This is purely for the experienced crew. The sheer size at 12ft and the energy (3897) is not for the faint of heart.
Sunday (9th August) is a write-off. A strong cross-breeze at 25 mph and a messy 10ft to 12ft sea state from the SSW. That’s a no-go.
Monday (10th August) is also blown out with near-gale winds from the SE, though the swell does drop to 6ft.
Tuesday morning (11th August) offers a bit of hope with a clean 7ft SSE swell, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy and weak. The energy is 458 (moderate), but it’s a step back in quality.
Wednesday morning (12th August) is a weird one. The swell is a tiny 3ft from the WSW, but the period is a very long 20 seconds. The energy is still 1551 (strong) from the longer period, but that is a very long-period swell for a spot like this. It might be too straight-breaking for the sandbar, but it’s clean.
Thursday (13th August) is the real highlight of the longer-range period. The swell is 6ft from the WSW at 16 seconds, with a clean NNE cross-off in the morning. It’s a very long period groundswell, and the wave energy is 1890 (strong). The afternoon is even better – glassy from the NW with 6ft, 16-second swell and energy of 1548. This is the second standout. A long-period, clean, strong swell that’s big enough for the experienced surfers but not too crazy. That’s a beautiful combination.
Friday morning (14th August) is a nice little drop-off to 4ft, glassy from the N, with a moderate 14-second period.
The last few days (15th and 16th) see a big swell return on the 16th with an 12ft monster from the WSW at 15 seconds, but the wind is a moderate cross-off from the N, so it’s clean but massive. That’s another one for the experts only.
The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild to report.
So, my picks? Monday morning (3rd August) for the perfect glassy, 5ft SW swell, and Thursday (13th August) for the long-period, clean, 6-6ft WSW groundswell. Get on those windows.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 10°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
250 | 581 | 494 | 486 | 486 | 442 | 669 | 649 | 606 | 503 | 431 | 297 | 231 | 2114 | 2594 | 4074 | 3557 | 3588 | 3555 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-on | off | cross-off | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | off |
High Tide | 4:41AM1.42m | 5:03PM1.53m | 5:13AM1.39m | 5:34PM1.52m | 5:48AM1.34m | 6:08PM1.47m | 6:28AM1.27m | 6:48PM1.41m | 7:15AM1.19m | 7:38PM1.32m | 8:20AM1.10m | 8:48PM1.23m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:42PM0.20m | 10:47AM0.13m | 11:13PM0.20m | 11:16AM0.16m | 11:47PM0.21m | 11:48AM0.21m | 00:24AM0.25m | 12:25PM0.29m | 1:09AM0.31m | 1:11PM0.39m | 2:07AM0.39m | 2:13PM0.48m | 3:28AM0.44m | ||||||
— | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | |
6:05 | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 18 | 16 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
250 | 581 | 494 | 486 | 486 | 442 | 669 | 649 | 606 | 503 | 431 | 297 | 231 | 2114 | 2594 | 4074 | 3557 | 3588 | 3555 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | SE 10 | — | SE 11 | S 9 | SW 16 | S 8 | WSW 15 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | — | — | SW 18 | SW 15 | — |
215 | 4 | — | 4 | 6 | 118 | 1 | 121 | 244 | 196 | 40 | 75 | 98 | 41 | — | — | 112 | 309 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 5 | — | — | — | — | S 9 | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5 | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 25 | 203 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | — | NNE 3 | NW 5 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 124 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 38 | 401 | 36 | 15 | 2 | 1 |
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.











