ISO 24444 / ISO 24443 EU COLIPA and SANS 1557 Verified Broadspectrum Sunscreens
Cintsa Surf Report
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SURF RATING
POOR
★★☆☆☆
Marginal: waist-to-chest-high waves on short, wind-driven swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
WAVE
1.3 m
SWELL
1.2m @ 8s
WIND
8 km/h Cross-shore
WATER
17.5°C
★★☆☆☆
Marginal: waist-to-chest-high waves on short, wind-driven swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
Swell: 1.2 m @ 8 s (SSW)
Wave height: 1.3 m
Wind: 8 km/h NE Cross-shore
Sea temp: 17.5 °C · Wetsuit: 3/2 mm full wetsuit
Best window today: 18:00–20:00 (lightest wind)
🧬 Break DNA
15% match
Today: off its ideal window today
🌊 Wave type
Beach break
🧭 Best swell
ESE groundswell, 11–16s
💨 Best wind
WNW offshore
🏄 Board
Shortboard
📈 Skill
Beginner-friendly on the smaller days
Ideal wind & swell are derived from the way this coast faces; break type is local knowledge. Match blends today’s swell angle, wind & period.
🌊 Why it’s reading like this right now
- Short, wind-driven SSW swell at 8s is hitting at an angle
- 8 km/h cross-shore wind gives some texture
- Not fully aligned today — pick your moment on the timeline above.
🏄 When to paddle out today
🏄 Reading today’s surf…
■ epic ■ clean ■ fun ■ marginal ■ flat ■ dawn/dusk · tap an hour
🎒 Pack for this session
🏄 Board
Shortboard
🤿 Wetsuit
3/2 mm full wetsuit
🧴 Bring
Reef-safe sunscreen
🌙Off-hours:Low light — likely quiet
Crowd estimate is a comfort/timing proxy from conditions & day of week — not a live crowd count.
Swell & wind
■ swell in ■ wind (green=offshore/good) offshore zone
Spot match
5-day wave & wind forecast
■ wave height (m) ── wind (km/h, right)
7-Day Surf Forecast
| Day | Rating | Wave | Period | Swell | Midday wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 13 Oct | ★★☆☆☆ | 1.5 m | 8 s | SSW | 7 km/h Onshore |
| Wed 14 Oct | ★★☆☆☆ | 1.4 m | 8 s | SSW | 24 km/h Onshore |
| Thu 15 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 1.6 m | 9 s | SSW | 15 km/h Onshore |
| Fri 16 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 1.9 m | 10 s | SSW | 11 km/h Onshore |
| Sat 17 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 2.0 m | 8 s | SSW | 20 km/h Cross |
| Sun 18 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 2.2 m | 8 s | SSW | 11 km/h Cross |
| Mon 19 Oct | ★★★☆☆ | 2.8 m | 7 s | SSE | 29 km/h Cross |
Daily peak wave height, mean swell period & direction, midday wind. Rating is our surf-quality score.
🌊 Today's tide (nearest station)
☀️ Sun & skin — out on the water all day
Sunrise 05:28 · Sunset 18:19 · Peak UV 6
Surfers & anglers get the highest UV dose of anyone. Recommended: SPF 50, reapply every 2 hours and after every session.
Shop SPF 50 sunscreen →Surf/wave: Open-Meteo Marine. Sun/UV/pressure: Open-Meteo. Tides: Stormglass model. Solunar is an approximate guide. Generated Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:13 SAST.
Aerial map — Cintsa
Beach break
Peak
Hand-styled from NGI 0.25 m national aerial. Markers show the peak, channel & hazards — indicative local knowledge, not live conditions or navigation advice; tides, banks, rips & hazards change, so use your own eyes on the day.
About Cintsa — Surf Local Knowledge
Cintsa (also spelt Chintsa) is a scenic seaside village just up the coast from East London, split into Cintsa East and Cintsa West by a lagoon and river mouth. Rolling dunes, a long sweep of sand and a tidal lagoon give it a quieter, wilder feel than the city beaches, marking the start of the softer transition towards the Wild Coast.
The surf is a beach break running along the open sand, with banks that form near the river mouth. It picks up south to south-east swell, is cleanest under a west to north-west offshore, and generally offers mellow, uncrowded waves that suit beginners and intermediates, though it can get punchy on a bigger swell. The lagoon is a safe spot for families and learners. Watch for rip currents along the beach and beside the river mouth, and keep the usual open-coast shark awareness.