
Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 4,013 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s period with SSW 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 10s. 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 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
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 coming down the line for Horse Trails. This is a sandbar setup, fairly exposed, and it’s showing a solid run of swell energy over the next couple of weeks.
We start off with a clean, glassy Saturday morning (18 July). The swell is a tidy 5 ft from the SW with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate at 625. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird going on. That early window is your best bet for a nice, clean session without a crowd. The wind is dead calm out of the NNW, so it’ll be glassy – a real treat. By afternoon, the wind swings and the quality drops, so get out early.
Sunday (19 July) is a write-off, with a cross-shore breeze and lumpy conditions. The swell is okay, but the wind messes it up. Monday morning (20 July) is another glassy one – 6 ft from the SW with a 9-second period, clean, and the energy is still moderate (593). That’s a good, fun-sized wave for intermediates.
Now, hold on to your board. Tuesday morning (21 July) is the standout of the whole forecast. We’ve got a 6 ft SSW swell, but this one is a proper groundswell with a 14-second period. The water goes dead calm, wind is 0 mph, and the combined energy jumps to 1189 (strong). That’s going to be clean, powerful, and lined up. If you’re an intermediate, this is your morning. The afternoon gets bigger (7 ft) but the wind turns cross-on, so it’s not as clean.
Wednesday (22 July) pushes into big territory. The swell hits 10 ft from the SW, period 12 seconds, and the energy is very strong (2468). This is too big for beginners – expert only. The wind is offshore in the morning, so it’ll be clean, but it’s a serious step up. Same story Thursday morning (23 July) with 7 ft and clean conditions – still a big wave, but more manageable for strong intermediates.
The run of big swell continues through to the end of the week. Friday (24 July) is massive: 12 ft from the SW with a 15-second period, and the energy is a beastly 5091. That’s expert territory, and it’s a beach break, so it might be a bit unruly. The wind is light cross-shore, so expect some lumps.
Saturday (25 July) is still big, but it drops to 8 ft, and the morning wind is offshore. That’s a good window for experienced surfers – clean, powerful, and the energy is still very strong (2692). The afternoon is cross-on, so get your session in early.
The end of July and start of August sees the swell drop back. Sunday (26 July) has strong onshore winds (19 mph) making a mess of the 6 ft to 7 ft swell. That’s more of a kite session than a paddle session. Monday (27 July) is cleaner, with 8 ft and an offshore wind, but the energy is still strong. After that, the swell fades fast. Tuesday (28 July) is poor, and Wednesday (29 July) is marginal with small, weak waves.
The very last kick comes on Thursday 30 July and Friday 31 July with a 3 ft to 5 ft WSW swell, long period (15-16 seconds), and clean offshore winds. That’s small but clean, and the water is still nice. The combined energy is moderate (674-863). It’s not a standout, but it’s a quiet, fun session for a longboard.
The first weekend of August (01-02 August) is mostly poor with moderate winds and weak, onshore conditions. There’s a small, clean window on Sunday morning (02 August) with 5 ft and an offshore wind, but it’s nothing to write home about.
Best bet: Get out Tuesday morning (21 July) for the cleanest, most powerful swell of the run. If you want a smaller, glassy session, Saturday morning (18 July) or Monday morning (20 July) are your pick. For the experienced crew, Wednesday morning (22 July) and Saturday morning (25 July) offer big, clean waves.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the NW by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 9 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
307 | 315 | 574 | 503 | 574 | 915 | 481 | 177 | 258 | 777 | 1280 | 1969 | 2802 | 2180 | 1597 | 1151 | 1103 | 4013 | 2657 | 3066 | 2636 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:19PM1.52m | 6:38AM1.28m | 7:01PM1.42m | 7:23AM1.17m | 7:45PM1.31m | 8:15AM1.07m | 8:37PM1.19m | 9:22AM1.00m | 9:43PM1.11m | 10:48AM0.98m | 11:05PM1.08m | 12:11PM1.02m | 00:19AM1.11m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 4:34AM0.55m | 4:48PM0.64m | 5:57AM0.53m | 6:16PM0.61m | ||||||||
7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
— | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 9 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
307 | 235 | 574 | 503 | 574 | 915 | 481 | 154 | 258 | 777 | 1280 | 1969 | 2802 | 2180 | 1597 | 1151 | 1103 | 4013 | 2657 | 3066 | 2636 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SW 13 | WSW 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 10 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | W 9 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | SW 19 | — | — | — | — |
129 | 315 | 198 | 184 | 130 | 121 | 118 | 177 | 70 | 32 | 24 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 173 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | W 12 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SW 16 | W 10 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
189 | 137 | 71 | 55 | 32 | 7 | 10 | 90 | 144 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 3 | NNW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 5 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 49 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 31 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 193 | 275 | 36 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
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.










