Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 16 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,191 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 16 Jul, 2AM (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 Thursday (Jul 16) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 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 get into it.
We’re looking at Horse Trails, a sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent. It’s a solid spot, but the water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.
The next 16 days have a real split personality. The first week is a bit of a slow burner, with the real standout action coming much later in the period. Thursday morning, the 16th, kicks off with some proper swell. There’s a solid 8ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period, giving you a heap of energy. The wind is glassy, so it’s clean. The only catch? At this size, it’s getting into experienced surfer territory. The crowd factor is there too, so expect a few others in the water.
The next few days, from Friday the 17th through to Monday the 20th, are a bit of a mixed bag. The swell drops off, wind gets messy, and the quality takes a hit. You’ll get some waist-to-chest high waves, but the conditions are a bit skunky. Sunday morning the 19th looks like the best of this bunch, with a clean 5ft SW swell and glassy conditions, but it’s not going to set the world on fire.
Now, here’s the big one. Tuesday the 21st arrives, and the ocean gets serious. We’re talking a massive 10ft SW groundswell, with a very long 15-second period. The energy is pumping. The wind is clean, cross-off, and it’s a dream for experienced surfers. But, and this is a big but, this is way too much size for most. It’s a full-on, expert-only session. The same goes for Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, with the swell holding around 10ft. This is proper big-wave territory.
The next real standout for a wider range of surfers is Monday the 27th. The swell has dropped to a more manageable 7ft SW, still with a nice 14-second period. The wind is light and off-shore, leaving it clean. The energy is still strong, but the size is now in the range for strong intermediates. Tuesday the 28th is also a good call, with a clean 6ft SW swell.
The very end of the run, from the 30th and 31st, sees another massive pulse of 15ft SW swell. This is colossal, expert-only, and honestly, the setup is more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers. It’s a sight to behold, but you’ll need a big set of balls to paddle into it.
Bottom line: The best bet for the best quality surf, without it being too crazy, is Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th of July. The 21st through the 23rd is for the big-wave crew only.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, fresh winds from the NW by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wed 22 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3558 | 2381 | 1671 | 1169 | 773 | 635 | 377 | 343 | 357 | 833 | 723 | 534 | 377 | 389 | 264 | 1022 | 3919 | 4191 | 3781 | 2801 | 2694 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 8:37PM1.19m | 9:22AM1.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 3:14AM0.51m | 3:14PM0.60m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — |
 | 5:54 | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 17 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 |
| kJ | 3558 | 2381 | 1671 | 1169 | 773 | 635 | 377 | 343 | 357 | 833 | 723 | 534 | 377 | 389 | 264 | 1022 | 3919 | 4191 | 3781 | 2801 | 2694 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 52 | 187 | 305 | 116 | 146 | 133 | 159 | 92 | 89 | 61 | 25 | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | S 12 | W 12 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 7 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | WSW 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 95 | 101 | 33 | 51 | 31 | 37 | 10 | 101 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 4 | N 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 10 | 72 | 57 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 38 | 324 | 341 | 161 | 38 | 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.
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