
Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 11s period, SSW swell with 4,261 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 11s 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 12s. 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 4.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) 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 0.8m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 06) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 11s |
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’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Horse Trails, starting Tuesday the 4th of August. The water temperature is sitting right around the average for this time of year, so nothing weird there. The week kicks off with a clean, playful 5ft swell from the SW, with a period of 11 seconds. The combined swell energy is a decent 484 (moderate). Tuesday morning has a light offshore wind, and by the afternoon it goes glassy. That’s the kind of start you dream of.
Wednesday the 5th gets a bit more serious. The swell jumps to 7ft overnight, still from the SW, and the period stretches to 16 seconds – proper groundswell energy. The wind turns N and starts blowing 12 mph, making it a bit cross-off. It’s clean, but that longer period means the waves will have more punch and longer lulls. This is intermediate territory. The combined energy hits 1940 (strong). By Wednesday afternoon, the swell pushes to 8ft and the wind goes cross-shore, so it gets a bit lumpy.
Thursday the 6th sees the swell pumping at 10ft from the WSW, but the wind is light and cross-off from the SE, keeping it clean. The energy is 3184 (very strong). However, this is getting big – definitely too much for beginners, and even intermediates will be tested. This is expert-only territory. The same holds for Friday the 7th, with the swell still 10ft and cross-shore winds adding some chop. The energy is a massive 3675 to 3949. This is a big, powerful ocean.
Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are a write-off for the average punter. Saturday has 8ft swell with onshore winds, and Sunday is a mess with 12ft swell and strong onshore winds at 19-22 mph. The energy is 3451, but the quality is poor. Honestly, Sunday morning looks more like a kite session than a paddle session.
The best of the bunch, the real standout, is Tuesday the 11th. The swell drops to a much friendlier 5ft from the SSE, with a 9 mph offshore wind from the east. The energy is 950 (moderate), but the conditions are described as very good. The waves will be clean and lined up. After that, Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th are also excellent for experienced surfers. The swell is 5ft to 6ft from the WSW, with long periods between 16 and 19 seconds, and clean offshore winds from the ENE. The energy is 1618 to 1941 (strong). This is groundswell perfection for a sandbar, but keep in mind that long-period swell can make beach breaks a bit too straight. Still, with the wind right, it’ll be quality.
The second week, from the 14th to the 19th, is a mixed bag. The 15th (Saturday) has a glassy 5ft swell in the morning, which is a nice little window. The 16th (Sunday) morning offers 7ft from the SW with clean cross-off winds, and the energy is 1779 (strong). That’s another good session for experienced surfers. After that, the swell climbs again, with 10ft by Wednesday the 19th, but it’s cross-shore and big, so again, experts only.
Overall, the standout window is Tuesday the 11th through Thursday the 13th. Get on it. Crowds are possible at Horse Trails, so get there early.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon night, min 11°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Sun afternoon). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, strong winds from the SSW by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
683 | 431 | 293 | 301 | 1880 | 2392 | 3746 | 3184 | 2483 | 3555 | 3675 | 3949 | 3232 | 2221 | 2063 | 3020 | 3196 | 3403 | 2614 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 6:28AM1.27m | 6:48PM1.41m | 7:15AM1.19m | 7:38PM1.32m | 8:20AM1.10m | 8:48PM1.23m | 9:52AM1.05m | 10:22PM1.20m | 11:32AM1.10m | 11:55PM1.25m | 12:48PM1.23m | 1:05AM1.35m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:24AM0.25m | 12:25PM0.29m | 1:09AM0.31m | 1:11PM0.39m | 2:07AM0.39m | 2:13PM0.48m | 3:28AM0.44m | 3:47PM0.55m | 5:09AM0.43m | 5:37PM0.51m | 6:32AM0.33m | 6:57PM0.39m | |||||||
— | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | |
6:07 | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 3 | 9 | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
Feels °C | 17 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | — | WSW 12 |
683 | 431 | 293 | 144 | 1880 | 2392 | 3746 | 3184 | 2483 | 3555 | 3675 | 3949 | 3232 | 2221 | 2063 | 3020 | 3196 | — | 805 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 15 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 14 | — | SW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
109 | 41 | 117 | 301 | 60 | 25 | 1028 | — | 177 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 18 | SW 16 | W 10 | — | W 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 12 | 41 | 98 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | WNW 9 | NNE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 | SW 12 | SSW 10 |
— | — | — | — | 6 | 101 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 255 | 3403 | 2614 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 38 | 36 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 31 | 1 | 419 | 2808 | 2690 |
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.











