Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period, WSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 2,554 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 11s. 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 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 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.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, honestly. The first few days are looking a bit average with plenty of cross-shore breeze chopping things up. But the standout window is the tail end of the first week, and then a run of very big, powerful swells rolls in from the 1st of September.
The best of the best shows up on the morning of the 28th of August. It’s glassy, with a long-period 3ft groundswell from the WSW. The clean conditions and that 16-second period will make it feel much bigger and more powerful than the height suggests. It’s a sandbar setup, so a long period like that can be a bit straight, but the glassy surface will make it a dream to paddle out. This is your pick of the first week.
The 27th of August morning is also worth a mention. It’s clean with a light N wind, and a 4ft SSW swell. The combined swell energy is a moderate 576. It’s not huge, but it’ll be a pleasant session.
Now, the real heavy stuff arrives on the 1st and 2nd of September. Morning of the 1st, we’re looking at a 10ft SW swell with a 14-second period, light winds, and a massive combined energy of 2930. The swell is predicted to be too big for this break, so this is strictly for the experts only. The 2nd of September kicks it up another notch with a 13ft WSW swell, clean offshore winds, and a staggering combined energy of 6607. That is a serious amount of power in the water. Again, expert-only territory.
The early sessions are a bit of a write-off. The 23rd and 24th have cross-shore wind and chop, with the afternoon of the 24th looking particularly messy. The 25th has a decent 8ft SW swell in the morning, but the wind is cross-off, keeping it from being perfect. The 29th and 30th should be avoided, with onshore winds and poor surf conditions.
The water temp is about average for the time of year at Horse Trails. No big anomalies to report.
So, to sum it up: the 28th of August for the crew looking for a clean, quality session, and the 1st and 2nd of September for the big-wave chargers. The rest is a mix of side-shore chop and waiting for the next pulse.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 707 | 1674 | 1532 | 1177 | 913 | 376 | 1712 | 1970 | 1922 | 1045 | 587 | 451 | 351 | 370 | 363 | 164 | 366 | 631 | 856 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 00:06AM1.04m | 12:58PM1.07m | 1:01AM1.13m | 1:36PM1.19m | 1:40AM1.24m | 2:08PM1.31m | 2:13AM1.33m | 2:36PM1.42m | 2:44AM1.41m | 3:04PM1.52m | 3:14AM1.47m | 3:32PM1.59m | 3:44AM1.50m | ||||||
Low Tide | 6:46AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:27AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | 7:59AM0.30m | 8:17PM0.34m | 8:27AM0.21m | 8:46PM0.24m | 8:54AM0.14m | 9:15PM0.16m | 9:21AM0.09m | 9:44PM0.10m | |||||||
 |  | | | | | | | | | |  | | | |  | | |  | |
 | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — |
 | 6:21 | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 24 | 28 | 24 |
Feels °C | 15 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 |
| kJ | 707 | 1674 | 1532 | 1177 | 913 | 376 | 1712 | 1970 | 1922 | 1045 | 587 | 451 | 351 | 370 | 363 | 164 | 223 | 631 | 856 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | — | — | — | SSW 13 | SW 10 | W 11 | — | SW 15 | S 7 | S 8 | S 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | S 11 | WSW 16 | S 10 | S 10 |
| kJ | 501 | — | — | — | 69 | 270 | 151 | — | 174 | 239 | 140 | 332 | 274 | 193 | 183 | 155 | 366 | 206 | 96 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | — | — | — | — | SW 15 | — | — | — | SW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | — | — |
| kJ | 136 | — | — | — | — | 137 | — | — | — | 46 | 183 | 152 | 123 | 13 | 26 | 126 | 93 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | S 5 | S 5 | S 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 6 | 12 | 42 | 112 | 118 | 155 | 369 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 2 | 2 | 401 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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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