Glencairn Reef
Cape Town, South Africa · Surf Forecast
- Wave
- 1m
- Period
- 14.1s
- Wind
- 22 km/h Onshore
- Tide
- Low
Get an alert when Glencairn Reef hits 7+
Set your board and level once and the app pings you the moment it's on.
Tide · today
Low · High in 3h585-day forecast
Scored for Shortboard · Intermediate · times in Africa/Johannesburg local
Wednesday
7 OctThursday
8 OctFriday
9 OctSaturday
10 OctSunday
11 OctSee all 10 days in the app
Days 6–10 for Glencairn Reef, scored for your board.
About Glencairn Reef
Glencairn Reef is a reef break over rock in Cape Town, South Africa. It's at its best on swells from the ESE / SE / SSE with light offshore winds from the N / WNW / NW, around mid to high tide. Every hour is scored for your board and skill level, so the rating reflects how it suits what you ride — not a one-size-fits-all star.
- Break type
- Reef
- Bottom
- Rock
- Best tide
- mid,high
- Best swell direction
- ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW
- Best wind direction
- N, WNW, NW, NNW
Glencairn Reef surf FAQ
Is Glencairn Reef good for beginners?+
Glencairn Reef is a reef break over rock, and how suitable it is for beginners really depends on the size and power on the day — not a fixed label. The rock bottom rewards some confidence in the water and awareness of what's beneath you, especially as the size picks up. Set the level to Beginner above and WaveCheck flags the smaller, cleaner hours worth paddling out for.
What's the best board for Glencairn Reef?+
Different days call for different boards. Glencairn Reef handles a range of boards — a longboard or fish when it's small, a shortboard when there's more push. Tap through the boards above to see the live score for whatever you'll be riding.
What tide is best for surfing Glencairn Reef?+
Glencairn Reef tends to work best around mid to high tide. The tide chart above shows the current stage plus the next high and low, so you can time your session.
What are the best conditions for Glencairn Reef?+
Look for from the ESE / SE / SSE with light offshore winds from the N / WNW / NW. The 5-day forecast above scores every hour, so you can spot the window at a glance.