Surf Forecasts:
Horse Trails surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, W swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, W swell with 4,691 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 12s 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 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 11s. 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 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Horse Trails over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surf is on the menu at Horse Trails, but it’s a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks. Let’s break it down.
First off, the water’s sitting at 56° – that’s 4° colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting a thicker wetsuit if you’re paddling out. The next few days are nothing to write home about. Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th have some swell but the conditions are just marginal with cross-shore breezes messing things up. The wave energy is moderate at best, with values around 1674 on Sunday and dropping through the week.
There’s a bit of a gap here with no real standouts until Wednesday the 26th. That morning, we get a clean window with a light cross-offshore breeze from the ESE, and 4ft of WSW swell. The energy is moderate (930) and the period is a solid 13 seconds – that’s a nice groundswell for a sandbar break. It’s not huge, but it’ll be clean and fun for an intermediate. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so keep that in mind.
The real standout, though, is shaping up for Sunday the 30th. Early morning, we’ve got glassy conditions with a light north breeze and a solid 10ft swell from the WSW. The energy is strong (2798). But here’s the catch – 10ft surf is getting into expert-only territory for a sandbar. It’s likely too big for beginners, and even for intermediates, it’ll be a handful. The period is a shorter 10 seconds, so it’s a bit wind-swell-ish, but still powerful. If you’re experienced and hungry, that’s your window.
After that, Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September bring more solid 8ft SW swells, but the winds are a bit messy. Tuesday morning on the 1st looks clean with a cross-offshore breeze and a solid 8ft SW swell, energy around 1537 – that’s a good call for experienced surfers. The period is 11 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell.
Then things get wild. Thursday the 3rd of September, we’re looking at a massive 26ft WSW swell with a very long 16-second period. The energy is off the charts at 33636. That is absolutely not for paddle surfing – it’s huge, dangerous, and likely closing out. If you’ve got a kite, this setup might be more your thing, but for a board, give it a wide berth. That big swell hangs around into Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th.
Saturday the 5th of September is a redemption day. Early morning, glassy conditions, 8ft of S swell with a 14-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell that will wrap in nicely. The energy is strong (3774), and it’s clean. For a sandbar break, that long period might make it a bit walled, but if the tide’s right, it’ll be excellent for experienced surfers. Crowds are possible, so get there early.
The second week is less certain, but keep an eye on Sunday the 7th of September afternoon – clean cross-offshore winds, 8ft SW swell, 12-second period, and good energy (2020). That could be another solid session if the forecast holds.
So, if you’re asking me, the best on offer is the glassy morning of Sunday the 30th of August – but only if you’re an expert. For the rest of us, the clean windows on Wednesday the 26th of August and Tuesday the 1st of September morning are your best bets. Stay safe out there.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the NNW by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1532 | 1236 | 974 | 376 | 1171 | 1949 | 1748 | 1151 | 669 | 525 | 353 | 463 | 370 | 351 | 274 | 433 | 452 | 560 | 501 | 1267 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 4:01PM1.63m | 4:16AM1.50m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 9:49AM0.07m | 10:14PM0.07m | |||||||
— | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | |
6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 16 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 |
1532 | 1236 | 974 | 376 | 1171 | 1949 | 1748 | 1151 | 669 | 525 | 351 | 463 | 370 | 351 | 274 | 433 | 452 | 560 | 501 | 1267 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 13 | SW 10 | WSW 11 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | S 8 | S 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | WSW 16 | SSE 11 |
— | — | 70 | 270 | 249 | — | 148 | 154 | 187 | 317 | 353 | 237 | 183 | 138 | 121 | 174 | 128 | 47 | 211 | 22 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SW 14 | SW 10 | — | — | — | SSW 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | — | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 | — | WSW 10 | WSW 18 | SSE 11 | — |
— | — | — | 203 | 108 | — | — | — | 145 | 217 | 121 | — | 25 | 86 | 102 | — | 31 | 61 | 40 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 4 | S 5 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | — | — | — | N 3 | NW 3 | — | SSE 3 | S 4 | — | NNW 5 | NW 5 | NNW 4 |
— | — | 25 | 41 | 121 | 130 | 243 | 176 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 19 | — | 91 | 66 | 31 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 120 | 2 | 2 | 401 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 186 | 31 |
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.











