ISO 24444 / ISO 24443 EU COLIPA and SANS 1557 Verified Broadspectrum Sunscreens
Cintsa Surf Report
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SURF RATING
FAIR
★★★☆☆
Fair — worth a paddle: waist-to-chest-high waves on moderate-period swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
WAVE
1.4 m
SWELL
1.0m @ 9s
WIND
10 km/h Cross-shore
WATER
16.9°C
★★★☆☆
Fair — worth a paddle: waist-to-chest-high waves on moderate-period swell, with a little cross-shore texture.
Swell: 1.0 m @ 9 s (SSE)
Wave height: 1.4 m
Wind: 10 km/h SW Cross-shore
Sea temp: 16.9 °C · Wetsuit: 4/3 mm wetsuit + booties
Best window today: 10:00–12:00 (lightest wind)
🧬 Break DNA
38% match
Today: rideable but not classic
🌊 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
- Mid-period SSE swell at 9s is wrapping into the bank
- 9 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
4/3 mm wetsuit + booties
🧴 Bring
Reef-safe sunscreen
🧢 Bring
Boots & hood
🌆Evening glass-off:After-work session — can get busy if it’s clean
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 23 Sep | ★★★★☆ | 1.8 m | 7 s | ESE | 4 km/h Offshore |
| Thu 24 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 1.4 m | 7 s | SE | 12 km/h Onshore |
| Fri 25 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 1.7 m | 9 s | SSE | 20 km/h Onshore |
| Sat 26 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 1.4 m | 8 s | S | 6 km/h Onshore |
| Sun 27 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 2.0 m | 7 s | S | 28 km/h Cross |
| Mon 28 Sep | ★★★☆☆ | 2.1 m | 8 s | S | 27 km/h Cross |
| Tue 29 Sep | ★★☆☆☆ | 2.0 m | 7 s | S | 8 km/h Onshore |
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 05:54 · Sunset 18:05 · Peak UV 7
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 Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:13 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.