Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, SW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SW swell with 3,425 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.4m and 13s 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 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long look at what’s coming down the line for Horse Trails. This is a sandbar break that’s fairly consistent and fairly exposed, and it likes a swell from the SW.
The water is running at 55°, which is a whopping 5° colder than usual for this time of year. That’s a serious anomaly, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit – it’s much colder than normal out there.
Right off the bat, Monday the 17th morning is the standout. The swell is a solid 8 ft from the WSW with a groundswell period of 13 seconds, and the combined energy is pumping at a very strong 2354. The wind is a light 10 km/h from the north, putting it cross-offshore. That is going to produce clean, lined-up surf, and it’s absolutely the best option for experienced surfers. It’s a bit too big for beginners though.
Monday afternoon goes a bit wobbly as the wind swings to the west at 15 km/h, making it a bit cross-on and choppy, so the quality drops off.
The next few days are a bit of a mixed bag. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th have that same 8 ft to 8 ft SW swell, but the wind is a consistent cross to cross-on, keeping things a bit bumpy. The energy is still very strong (around 2133 to 1866), but the conditions are marginal.
Thursday the 20th is a real monster. The swell jumps to a beastly 10 ft from the SW. The combined energy is massive (3267), but the forecast says it’s simply too big for this break. Only for the absolute experts, and even then, it’s a handful. The wind is a light cross-shore, so the surface will be clean, but the size is the story.
We get a bit of a lull Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd, with the swell dropping to 7 ft - 8 ft but the wind is cross-on, making it messy. The energy drops to moderate levels (1045 - 763).
The next true highlight doesn’t come until the following week. Wednesday the 26th morning is a special call. The swell is a solid 7 ft from the SW, with a period of 13 seconds and very strong energy (1559). But the wind… the wind is a glassy 5 km/h from the north. That’s flat calm. It’s labeled as “glassy” conditions. For a sandbar, that means absolutely perfect, clean faces. This is a top-tier session for experienced surfers. Crowds are noted as “sometimes” present, so with conditions this good, expect company.
After that, the swell pulses again. Thursday the 25th afternoon sees 10 ft swell, but again, it’s flagged as too big for the break. Late in the month, Monday the 31st and Sunday the 30th also have huge 10 ft to 12 ft SW swell, with extremely high energy (3680 to 3527). These are days for the experts only, and the wind is a moderate cross-shore, so it’s going to be a battle.
There’s really no good surf on offer for the first few days of September. The wind is light and cross-on, and the swell is down to 6 ft to 6 ft. The energy is weak (760 to 1005), and the quality is poor.
Overall, the best windows are Monday the 17th morning for the clean, powerful start, and Wednesday the 26th morning for the glassy perfection. The second week looks promising for size but challenging for conditions.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2354 | 2026 | 1930 | 1735 | 2345 | 2379 | 1866 | 1550 | 1715 | 3267 | 2507 | 1524 | 1045 | 466 | 291 | 952 | 1632 | 1846 | 1407 | 1407 | 694 | |
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-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 6:13PM1.43m | 6:32AM1.21m | 6:48PM1.29m | 7:12AM1.10m | 7:29PM1.15m | 8:07AM0.99m | 8:32PM1.04m | 9:49AM0.92m | 10:25PM0.98m | 11:54AM0.96m | 00:06AM1.04m | 12:58PM1.07m | 1:01AM1.13m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:57AM0.25m | 00:31AM0.30m | 12:30PM0.38m | 1:08AM0.42m | 1:06PM0.51m | 1:55AM0.54m | 1:57PM0.63m | 3:19AM0.62m | 3:53PM0.70m | 5:32AM0.61m | 6:08PM0.66m | 6:46AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | ||||||||
7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
— | 6:16 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 |
2354 | 2026 | 1930 | 1735 | 2345 | 2379 | 1866 | 1550 | 1715 | 3267 | 2507 | 1524 | 1045 | 466 | 291 | 952 | 1632 | 1846 | 1407 | 1407 | 694 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 16 | SW 14 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | — | — | — | — | SSW 11 | SSW 11 |
— | 193 | 224 | 398 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 275 | 260 | — | — | — | — | 302 | 372 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 53 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 401 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 2 |
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.











