Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,022 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 12s 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 Monday (Aug 31) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 6s. 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 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 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 on the cards for Horse Trails over the next couple of weeks.
The window kicks off this Saturday morning, August 29th, and right away there’s a real gem. That morning we’ve got a clean 5ft swell from the WSW with a solid 14-second period pushing through. The wind is a light easterly cross-off, keeping the surface glassy. The water is a nippy 56°F which is a good 4°F colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a thicker wetsuit. The combined energy is chunky at 830, so there’s proper push in the water. This is definitely the standout session of the first week – get on it early.
Saturday afternoon goes south quickly with a swing in the wind. The swell hangs around the same size, but a southerly breeze at 12 mph blows it onshore and chops it right up. Not worth paddling out for.
Sunday the 30th sees a jump in size to 8ft from the SW, but the period drops to 13 seconds and the wind is a messy cross-shore at 16 mph. The energy is strong at 2181, but the conditions are just too rough. This one is for the experts only, and even then, it’s not pretty.
Monday morning the 31st drops to 7ft with a 11-second period, wind is cross-shore at 9 mph. The energy is still moderate at 1019, but the surface is lumpy. It’s a pass from me.
Tuesday the 1st of September, the swell builds again. Morning sees 8ft at 13 seconds, but it’s cross-on and the wind is light. By the afternoon, we’re looking at 10ft with the same period, but the wind picks up to 12 mph. That’s too big for this sandbar, and the wind is messy. This pattern of big, windy surf continues right through Wednesday the 2nd, with 10ft swell and periods in the 13-14 second range. The energy is off the charts (3540 on Wednesday morning), but the break can’t handle it. This is a big-wave zone for the brave and the experienced only.
We get a bit of a lull from Thursday the 3rd through to the end of the first week. Thursday morning has 7ft from the WSW but with a fresh 22 mph cross-shore wind. Friday the 4th is smaller, 4ft, and the wind is better, but it’s weak. Saturday the 5th has a tiny 3ft from the SSW with a 10-second period. The wind is light offshore in the morning, so it’s clean, but there’s hardly any energy (535). It’s a small-wave board day for the dedicated.
The first half of the second week is a bit average. Sunday the 6th has a clean 5ft from the SW with a 14-second period, and the wind is a light northerly cross-off. The energy is decent at 1104, but it’s not a standout. The next few days are small, weak, and either blown out or glassy but tiny. The 10th of September morning is totally glassy, dead calm, but the swell is a pathetic 3ft from the S with a 9-second period. It’s surfable, but pretty ordinary.
Now, here’s a promising one for the long-range. On Friday morning, September 11th, we get a spike of 7ft from the WSW with a very long 16-second period. The energy is huge at 2655. The wind is light cross-on, so it’s not perfect, but it’s a serious groundswell. This is a point-break and reef-swell, so at a sandbar like Horse Trails, that long period might make it close out a bit. Still, for the size and energy, it’s the most interesting forecast in the last few days. The following Saturday and Sunday (12th and 13th) keep the size up around 7ft to 10ft, but the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on, and the break is too big for the bigger swells. The 13th has 10ft from the SW at 12 seconds, which is too big for this spot.
So, the clear winner is Saturday morning, August 29th. Clean, 5ft, good period, and light offshore wind. The Friday 11th September is a wildcard for the long-range – it’s got the size and the energy, but the wind needs to play ball.
Keep an eye on the forecasts, but get out there this Saturday morning.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Mainly strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 10 | SW 10 | SSW 11 | WSW 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
724 | 756 | 793 | 2170 | 1821 | 1106 | 1019 | 771 | 517 | 1915 | 2561 | 3844 | 3540 | 2802 | 1648 | 1236 | 774 | 804 | 316 | 281 | 225 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:01PM1.63m | 4:16AM1.50m | 4:31PM1.63m | 4:48AM1.47m | 5:03PM1.59m | 5:23AM1.41m | 5:38PM1.52m | 6:02AM1.31m | 6:19PM1.41m | 6:49AM1.20m | 7:11PM1.27m | 7:57AM1.08m | 8:31PM1.15m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:49AM0.07m | 10:14PM0.07m | 10:18AM0.07m | 10:45PM0.07m | 10:48AM0.11m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:22AM0.18m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:59AM0.28m | 00:39AM0.29m | 12:46PM0.40m | 1:38AM0.41m | 1:56PM0.53m | 3:14AM0.50m | |||||||
7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | |
— | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 16 |
Feels °C | 16 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 9 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 10 | S 8 | SSW 11 | WSW 10 |
724 | 756 | 598 | 2170 | 1821 | 1106 | 1019 | 771 | 517 | 1915 | 2561 | 3844 | 3540 | 2802 | 1648 | 1236 | 774 | 804 | 205 | 281 | 225 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SW 10 | WSW 13 | SSE 11 | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | SSW 15 | WSW 12 | SW 10 | WSW 10 | SSW 10 |
106 | 275 | 793 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 418 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 92 | 361 | 316 | 157 | 163 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 13 |
— | 39 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | 226 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 91 | 136 | 98 | 69 | 35 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 6 | — | — | SSE 10 | S 6 | SSE 4 | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 10 | — | S 6 | S 6 |
— | 124 | — | — | 10 | 96 | 14 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 138 | 92 | 122 | 804 | — | 146 | 213 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 323 | 72 | 2 | 341 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 52 | 0 | 104 | 931 | 401 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











