The Southern Cape is beautiful. Cool and wet in the winter, warm and dry in the summer, it's a paradise of a unique kind. Kelp, whales, dolphins add to a sea life rich and varied. Verdant mountain ranges - covered in a thick green mantle of indigenous and cultivated forest - form a spine that sweeps upwards towards the Eastern Cape. A vast botanical variety unlike any found on the planet, comprising a stunning array of fynbos (fine bush) species, protea, pincushion, restios, erica (heather).
The southern Cape is rocky, with thickly wooded ravines that snake upwards into the mountains. Here you find wild leopard, baboons, lynx, porcupine, buck, tortoise, rock rabbits, mongeese, honey badgers, and lots more. Some of the hills are very rocky, with scattered outcrops of white granite wedged beneath vast fields of rich vegetation.
During winter, countless waterfalls cascade downwards towards the sea, and the many lagoons that are inland. The stream water is rich in minerals, and runs a translucent rust colour. The surf is best in Northerly or NW winds, with clean groundswells from far-off fronts.
Thanks to 'Spike' at Wavescape for the lowdown on the Garden Route Surf Spots.
Koeel Bay (aka Caves)
Koeel Bay is a beachbreak that lies flat in front of low sandstone cliffs, around the corner from Gordon's Bay. It's pretty close to the beach, and looks like it should close out. It often does. But on a low tide and proper sand arrangement, some classic wedgey barrels occur. When you're in baggies and you're slotting into a pristine 5 ' tube, life takes on a sunny glow. *****
Paranoia
Like the name suggests, it will be the feeling you get when surfing it in a 6-8' swell as you lurch perislously close to some sharp, nasty looking rocks. A beach with a lefthand point break. It breaks almost on the rocks, and needs very glassy, clean, evenly spaced lines to work. Beginners, stay away. ****
Moonlight Bay, Hangklip
Righthander in small, rocky bay. It works the same as Pringles. SE offshore wind. Usually a bit bigger than Pringles. It works when you least expect it. ***
Betty's Bay
A fun righthand beachbreak created from bigger swells that refract around a kelpy outcrop of rocks and reform on a sand bar at about 3-4'. It sometimes looks better than it is, but on the other hand, and if you don't mind weekend crowds, it gets pretty good. The bigger waves seem to miss the sand bar and close out across the bay. However, sometimes one of the bigger waves will hold up just enough to provide a really hollow inside section ending in a long shorebreak barrel. ***
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Pringle Bay
Tucked around the corner near Hangklip, this beach gets a few small waves but is not generally known as a good surf spot. However, the lefthand point on the one side of the beach breaks occasionally. Likes a solid SW swell and a SE wind. Waves on the beach occasionally. Gets hollow on occasion, particularly in the aftermath of a strong front after the wind has switched to SE. **
Onrus
A fun wedgy right-hander breaks into a rip channel along some rocks to the left of this sleepy little Afrikaans holiday village. Also has lefts. A variable peak. It's best in light northwesterly conditions and a 3-5' swell. There is also a nearby beach break, which is comparable to Sandy Bay. It can get excellent. ****
Haardebaai
A big-wave righthand reef break. It likes a large West swell and light NW winds. Gets excellent. ****
Kleinmond
A left breaks towards the car park at Kleinmond, just before Hermanus, but it's fickle and the rip can make paddling tough, especially if the swell is oversized. The outgoing rip between the rocks and the wave is created by a deep channel, favourite area for fishermen. The rip kicks when the swell gets to about 5 or 6'. A light NW or N is best. ***
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De Kelders
Almost at Gans Baai, which is where the British war ship HMS Birkenhead sank, is a small cluster of houses along a dusty road, right along a rocky stretch of coast metres from the sea. At the end of the road, right in the corner near a large Strandloper midden and interesting caves, is a fun but fickle little beachbreak that hardly anyone surfs. It's fun though and some barrelly lefts and rights can be had. Word has it that more waves can be found further down this long beach, which basically goes all the way to Hermanus, a beautiful town famous for whale watching. ***
Gansbaai
A few breaks in the area. Best conditions are light Easterlies (SE-NE) and a clean groundswell in the 6-8' range and bigger. Mostly reefs. You have to contend with thick kelp. Great exploration possibilities. ***
Pearly Beach
Good waves occasionally. A righthand reef break. Best in a NE-NW breeze and clean groundswell. Some good waves along the beach. Rip currents can be a problem. ***
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Cape Infanta
Right point. Needs big south swell. Lacks form. The beachbreak gets good in summer during a moderate swell. Needs westerly wind. **
Jongensfontein
When you've headed to Still Bay in the mistaken belief that its cooking, "Jongens" is likely to appease you. Works in small conditions. Cannot handle a large swell. It breaks to the right over a reef in 2'-4' swell and light northwest wind. *****
Dolphin Point
A gnarly, ledging righthand point break with some seriously hollow sections. Needs a solid 10'+ groundswell before the swell wraps into the bay. Needs a West wind. Only good surfers need apply. ****
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Stilbaai
Still Baai (Still Bay) is at least three hours drive from Cape Town. It's a point break, the first of many epic points along the eastern seaboard of South Africa. However, the down side to this spot is that it needs a very big swell before it works. An ocean swell of 12' translates to 4 - 6' waves at Still Baai. When its working, a lot of water moves down the rocks and paddling can be a mission. Best on a low tide. ****
Gourits Mouth
A right point break. A little surfed spot (hard to find) that breaks on sand that has built up over the rocks. It works in large SW groundswells and moderate Westerly winds. ****
Struis Baai
Two main breaks. A symmetrical outside reef and a righthand point called Maclears. The reef breaks to the left and right. Very sharky area. Like many of the bays in this area, the point needs a huge SW swell before there is enough juice to wrap the swell into a North-facing bay. Otherwise, an Easterly swell is needed. ****
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Arniston
A beautiful little white-washed fishing village with four spots in the area. Ask a local to show you around. Best in light W or NW winds and clean South swell. ***
Vlees Baai
Protected point that breaks very rarely, in similar vein to Bruces Beauties in Cape St Francis. It turns on when a massive southeasterly swell is pushed in by an incoming tide or strong SE winds. The onshore SE wind blows frontal groundswell back into the bay. Gets good when the wind backs off. This break is not a great option. Firstly, it is fickle, and breaks rarely. Secondly due it is hard to find. Thirdly, big great white sharks in the area. *****
Kanon
Tucked away around a corner, this is the Bruces of the southern Cape. It's an awesome barrel, but it only breaks when a solid southeasterly swell pushes around the corner and on to the rocks, in similar fashion to Vlees. Lots of sharks in the area. Try to avoid it. ****
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Mossel Bay
Inner Pool
Somewhat overrated, the Inner Pool is within a stones throw of Outer Pool. A small inlet where the waves break off rocks. Tends to be a bit slow moving and mushy, but is pretty popular. Walls up nicely sometimes, often when there are no waves at Outer Pool. ***
Outer Pool
The main wave at Mossel Bay. Outer Pool gets big and hairy. This can mean a tough paddle against a rip that surges along the point, big walling waves that trick you into paddling too far on the inside. In a clean orderly swell and light westerly winds, this waves gets really good. *****
Santos Reef
Right in front of the caravan park at Mossels, Santos is a reef peak that needs a big swell and light southwesterly winds. Gets quite good, although lacking raw power. ***
Ding Dangs
A fun wave that needs a huge swell to wrap around Cape St Blaize. Best in southwesterly winds. Needs a low tide. ***
Dias Beach
Just past Mossel Bay, near where the road rejoins the highway, is a fickle beach break that depends on the sandbanks. Needs light offshore winds and a moderate swell. ***
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Brak River
The long beach here gets lots of swell, although the surf is fickle. Again, light westerly winds are best, and it depends on the sandbanks. ***
Herold's Bay
Best in a clean easterly swell, Herold's Bay is a reef and sand peak near the resort beach. Needs a light bergwind. ****
Vic Bay (Victoria Bay)
Home of the southern Cape surfer, Victoria Bay is a classic setup on a small scale. Nestling between steep hills that run into the ocean, this bay is probably only 150 metres wide. The right side of this little bay, an established holiday getaway for the fortunate few who have a house at the water's edge, is a point that produces perfect point break walls. The takeoff is right near a rock that sticks out the water. It then walls away from you and down a shallow line of rocks. The bigger waves angle further away from the rocks and into the middle of the beach. Best at 2-6' and glassy or offshore conditions. Vic Bay is about 40 minutes drive from Knysna, between Sedgefield and George. *****
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Knysna
Gerickes Point
Just past Sedgefield, heading away from Knysna, lies a shale headland with a mini-left hand point break on the other side. It works in a moderate swell, and is the only spot in the area that works in a northeasterly onshore wind. It gets out-of-control very easily though on account of the very small point setup. Doesn't like anything over 4'. Provides fun and zippy hollow waves that break over volcanic rock. About a 20-minute walk from the car park. ****
Goukamma River Mouth
In light northerly winds, this spot fires on all cylinders. About 20 kms on the southern side of Knysna at the mouth of the Gouna river, the peaks here can be epic with the sand in the right place. The Goukamma River, with its deep rich red mineral colour from the forests and mountains of the southern Cape, trickles into the sea here. The ocean responds with superlative form. ****
Fish Boma
Just off the carpark facing Gouna river is a peak that breaks on the other side of a rocky outcrop. It needs a lowish tide and a northerly or northeasterly breeze. Locals get some good waves here, although a recent shark attack has virtually stopped all activity here.***
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Buffalo Bay Wildside
The stretch of coast on the exposed side of Buffalo Bay. It gets messy easily and can't handle too much swell, because it comes directly on to the beach here, often breaking on outside banks and closing out. However, on smaller days when there is little wind or a breeze from the northeast, a clean and powerful left breaks off a sand bank in the middle of the beach. Can get a bit rippy though. On rare occasion, a wedge breaks right in the corner on the right hand side of the beach. Locals say that its epic days have been over for some years, although there seems to be no reason why it shouldn't come back. ***
Buffalo Bay
A large bay near Knysna that's home to houses with funny names like Laat Waai (Go for it), Buckinham Pellis, Stokkiesdraai (Play Truant), Op die hoek (On the corner). There are a number of waves around Buffalo Bay. The point offers a fairly inconsistent righthander that needs an easterly tinge to the swell for it to break properly. Generally, the usual southwesterly swells hit the outside point and wrap into the bay, before reforming and breaking on the inner point. This is the common B-Grade South African point setup. However, when the swell is coming out of the southeast or east, they instantly become A-grade spots. Similar setups include Coffee Bay, Bruces Beauties and Seal Point. Buffalo Bay needs a westerly wind and anything from 3' to 8' swell. ****
Buffalo Bay Beach (Murphys)
A fun left and right peak can be found quite far down the beach from the point at Buffalo Bay. Gets a rip that tends to pull you to the left, towards a churny and shallow reef / sandbank. However, some really fun and hollow inside waves, as well as the occasional solid left on the outside, can make this spot worthwhile. Best in a low to pushing tide and light westerly winds. ****
The Heads
There is actually a surf spot just inside the Knysna Heads, believe it or not. A small group of locals ride it quite often. It's a must for the low tide. With a solid swell running outside the cliffs, the sand bars here gladly accept fun and hollow 3'-4' waves. The fun is tempered with the knowledge that you have to paddle all the way across the channel to the other side, often when the tide is pushing in through the heads. Incidentally, the Knysna Heads are only one of two places in the world where vessels won't be insured by Lloyds shipping agents. This adds a bit more spice to a daring dash across the channel. ***
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Plettenberg Bay
Robberg
The break at Robberg, the protruding headland at Plett, needs a southeasterly swell to break. It's a combination of rocks and sand. Robberg is pretty inconsistent, but gets fairly good occasionally. ***
The Wreck
Not to be confused with the Wedge (below), the Wreck is also a wedge, but with a lot more going for it, when it breaks that is. Not as consistent, but a much longer ride and better form. The Wreck is in the corner just on the east side of Robberg. Has similarities with Dunes - which probably makes it the best beach break wave around Plett. Does need a monster swell to wrap in, or a more southerly or southeasterly swell. Waves bounce off the peninsula and peak off the wreck forming wicked A-frame barrels. ****
The Wedge
In sight of a large tourist hotel (the Beacon Isle) built on an outcrop of rocks in Plettenberg Bay, the Wedge breaks on the sand close to shore in the left corner of the beach. It gets insanely hollow and powerful for it's size. Swells bounce off some rocks and head parallel to the beach to bump into other oncoming swells, creating the wedge. Not all the waves wedge up in this way. However, if they don't, it usually means a closeout because the wave breaks too close to shore and is not really depending on a particular sandbank to break. A short but zippy little barrel can provide lots of fun in the right conditions, low tide and a clean 3'-4' swell. ****
Lookout Beach
Lot's of people surf here. One often wonders why. This spot, the main beach at Plett, lacks real power and closes out more often than not. At certain times of the year, it seems to improve quite dramatically. The sand shifts, the swell comes in cleanly, the wind eases further to the west. It then becomes a fun diversion, but with classic surf spots nearby, it's not the most alluring of temptations. Apparently there are some good waves further down the beach near the river mouth, often just a small channel between the lagoon and the sea. ****
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Keurbooms
This glassy beachbreak, inhabited by a superlative group of friendly common dolphins, is one of the gems of this coastal area. However, you've got to polish it up quite a lot first. Patience pays at Keurbooms, on the way out of Plett and heading towards J-Bay. It's extremely sensitive to wind, even when it's offshore. Best time is early in the morning on a mid tide pushing, with a clean 4'-5' swell, or on the high tide itself. Can be a bit rippy between tides, with the surge pulling you on to the righthand bank, away from the lefts. The left works on a lowish tide and the right needs a high tide. Keurbooms has similarities with Natal beachbreaks in this sense. Getting in the water here can be a religious experience. Glassy tubes, water as clear as liquid glass and a school of playful dolphin hanging around to make sure at least a few waves are ridden. I give it five stars because I love the place. It doesn't always turn on though, and has a reputation of being sharky. *****
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