Horse Trails Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.78° S 18.45° E

Horse Trails Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 08 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Horse Trails sea temperature is
11.6°C
4.0° 

Horse Trails surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Horse Trails surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 16s period, SW swell with 2,702 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s 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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 3s is also forecast. 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 2.3m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Tue 8th Sep)2ft (0.6m) 11s
Best Surf 5AM (Thu 10th Sep)4.5ft (1.3m) 16s
Most Powerful 8PM (Sat 12th Sep)7.5ft (2.3m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let's break down what's coming our way for the next couple of weeks.

We're stuck on Horse Trails for the whole forecast. The first few days are a bust, but there's a real sweet spot coming up. The water is *much colder than normal* for this time of year, sitting at 53°F – that's a solid 7°F below average, so you'll want a thick wetsuit.

The first real chance is on Tuesday, September 8th in the morning. It's glassy, with a light northerly breeze, and a clean 3ft swell from the WSW. The wave energy is moderate (476), and the period is a solid 12 seconds. It's a short window, though – by the afternoon the wind swings southerly and chops it up.

Wednesday the 9th is a washout with cross-onshore winds all day. Thursday the 10th sees a big jump in size – 8ft from the SW – but the wind is cross and the conditions are choppy. That 8ft is getting into the zone where it's a bit much for beginners, but the real issue is the quality.

Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th are a mixed bag. The mornings offer some clean, cross-off wind and decent chest-to-head-high swell (6ft to 6ft) from the SW, with strong wave energy (1435 and 1793). The periods are in the 12 to 14-second range, which is good for shape. The afternoons get blown out by strong southerly winds.

Here's the standout. The best bet of the whole outlook is the morning of Sunday, September 13th. We've got a clean, 6ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period, light NNE cross-off winds, and the wave energy is pumping (1437). The wind will be light and the conditions will be clean. For an intermediate surfer, this is the session to aim for. The break is "fairly consistent" and "fairly exposed" to the SW, which is the optimum direction, so it should be working well. Keep in mind, crowds are "sometimes" a problem, so get there early.

The following week is a bit of a wildcard. Through the 14th and 15th, the wind picks up, but there are some odd, long-period swells. The morning of Tuesday the 15th sees a 4ft swell with a crazy 22-second period and very strong energy (3109). That's a very long period groundswell, which can be tricky at a sandbar – it might break too straight, but it could also mean long walls if the banks are right. The wind is strong offshore from the north, so it'll be clean, but it's a weird one.

Toward the end of the window, the 18th and 19th look promising again. The morning of Friday, September 18th has a clean 8ft SW swell with a 14-second period, light ESE winds, and excellent conditions for experienced surfers. That's a big wave, solidly in the expert-only zone. Then Saturday, September 19th in the morning, it's glassy again with a 6ft SW swell and a 12-second period – very good conditions for a fun, clean session.

The final few days of the forecast get huge. The morning of Sunday, September 20th is looking at a 13ft WSW swell, with very strong wave energy (5710), but the wind is onshore from the WSW. That's too big for this spot, and the wind will ruin it anyway. The 23rd of September goes even bigger, with a 15ft SSW swell and a 17-second period, producing extreme energy (10057) – that's a massive, dangerous swell. For a sandbar like Horse Trails, that's a full-on, expert-only, or possibly even unrideable situation.

So, to wrap it up: the week of the 8th to the 14th is mostly a slog, but Sunday morning the 13th is your best window for clean, fun, manageable surf. The second week offers a couple of bigger, more powerful options for experienced surfers, particularly the morning of the 18th.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
2
0
0
2
3
2
4
3
1
1
2
2
4
4
3
3
0
1
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
WSW
12
0.7
WSW
12
0.9
SW
11
0.9
WSW
13
0.9
WSW
13
1.4
SW
12
2.3
SW
15
2.2
WSW
13
1.9
WSW
13
1.7
WSW
12
1.5
WSW
12
1.9
S
8
1.8
SW
14
1.9
SW
14
2.1
SW
14
1.9
SW
14
1.9
SW
13
1.3
SW
13
1.1
SW
12
1.8
NW
7
1
SW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
294
140
172
304
295
607
2215
1672
1207
830
605
413
1236
1459
1863
1324
1299
591
386
344
263
Wind (km/h)
5
N
15
S
10
SE
10
SSW
20
S
10
SSE
15
S
20
S
15
SSE
15
SE
25
S
20
SSE
25
SE
20
SSE
5
ESE
15
NNE
10
SSW
10
NE
15
NNW
25
N
25
N
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
1:34PM1.43m
1:53AM1.44m
2:15PM1.57m
2:33AM1.51m
2:51PM1.66m
3:10AM1.55m
3:25PM1.70m
3:44AM1.55m
3:58PM1.68m
4:17AM1.52m
4:29PM1.62m
4:48AM1.45m
4:59PM1.52m
Low Tide
7:50PM0.20m
8:04AM0.12m
8:31PM0.08m
8:41AM0.05m
9:08PM0.01m
9:15AM0.02m
9:42PM-0.01m
9:48AM0.03m
10:15PM0.01m
10:19AM0.08m
10:45PM0.07m
10:49AM0.16m
11:15PM0.17m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
mod rain
rain showers
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:54
6:52
6:50
6:50
6:48
6:47
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:31
6:32
6:34
6:34
6:35
6:36
6:36
 mm
9
2
Temp °C
25
25
21
20
22
16
17
19
15
17
20
15
17
20
17
22
22
17
15
16
15
Feels °C
25
22
20
19
21
15
15
15
11
14
17
11
13
17
15
20
21
16
14
12
11
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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