Stormrider Guide to surfing Western Cape - West Coast

South Africa, AFRICA

Elands Bay, Barry Tuck

Summary

+ Variety of left pointbreaks	- Few consistent spots
+ Some easy mellow waves	- Cold water year round
+ Cheap and uncrowded	- Kelp and mussels
+ Scenery and wildlife	- Lack of tourism infrastructure

South Africa’s Atlantic west coast north of Cape Town, shivers in the cold Benguela Current, which brings colder water temperatures in summer than winter, but also acts as a highway for swells to arrive at several kelp-covered, north-facing, left pointbreaks tucked behind headlands. Elands Bay has become a popular playground for Capetonian waveriders, whenever there is some significant swell action. To the south here are plenty of beachbreaks through Yzerfontein, Melkbos and Blauuberg leading down to some of the best big city surfing in the world at Cape Town.

When to Go

N-exposed reefs like E-Bay definitely need strong winter SW swells to break. Common SW winds will be offshore and the day after a cold front passes is usually the classic day. Summer starts in October with strong SE winds (The Cape Doctor), bringing upwelling cold currents ashore and blown-out conditions after 10am. When a rare high pressure protects the West Coast, winds and swell diminish and warm NE Berg winds fan the SW-exposed spots, bringing small and perfect conditions. Tidal range can reach 3m, and most reefs and pointbreaks favour low tides, further reducing surf time.

Surf Spots

Garbage Dump has a wrapping left, far out in the kelp and a right pointbreak in rare, calm wind conditions. Check 10km south in similar, no wind conditions and Farmer Burger’s powerful right reefbreak should be good in small swells. Eland’s Bay hamlet sits on a sandy riverbank, waiting for any W swell to hit The Point. Steep drops into fast tubular walls, spinning across a kelp covered, all tides reef before bending into a sandy end section at the rivermouth. Handles SW winds, plus there’s a consistent beachbreak to the north and some possible rights on a nearby reef. Very busy these days with kites and longboards adding to the local pack of shredders. Baboon Point is worth checking if the swell is not big enough for E-Bay. The black cliffs offer some shelter for the lefts, but SW winds will blow out this spot. The long stretch of Santa Helena Bay would only suit beginners, lacking shape and shelter. Stompneus is the first break on the north side of the Vredenburg Peninsula. Not as epic as E-Bay and needs similar big swell conditions, but it combines an outside, low tide reef with an inside, high tide set-up that handles any swell size and even W winds. This area hides many other spots like Pastures, Heaven and Hell. Another fun left is to be found at Cape St Martin which works in similar conditions as Elands Bay but will be less crowded. Trekoskraal is an inconsistent right point in a deepwater bay that has some N wind protection. Sandy 4WD roads and great wild camping. Perlemoen Bay has a choice between a high tide righthand point in N winds or a fun, triangular lefthand reef over sand and boulders at lower tides. In the middle of Jacob’s Bay a kelpy reef holds high tide peaks in overhead swells and light winds, otherwise pay a fee to check the small swell beachbreak at Swartriet Beach Resort.

Statistics

dominant swell

SW -W

swell size (ft)

1-2

3-4

consistency (%)

dominant wind

SE -S

E -S

E -NW

SE -NW

SE -SW

SE -S

average force

consistency (%)

water temp (C)

wetsuit

3/2

4/3

3/2

Travel Information

Weather
Weather patterns are very unstable but rainfall is low. Winters (May-Sept) bring many cold fronts over the peninsula. Once the coastal low has passed, winds and clouds move in from the NW. Rain starts falling and the ocean gets rough. Summers are usually warm and dry but very windy in the afternoon. Because of the cold Benguela Current, water hardly ever gets over 15°C (59ºF) and sometimes gets down to 9°C (48ºF) on west-facing spots with summer upwelling. 4/3 fullsuit + booties required year-round.

Lodging and Food
E-Bay is tiny: stay in the beach caravan park ($3 per tent) Elands Bay Hotel from $25 p/n b&b. Eat as much red gold (crayfish) as you can. Seafood is cheap including anchovies, pilchards and long, thin, silvery snoek.

Nature and Culture
Plenty of birds like flamingos, pelicans and herons at E-Bay river or at the West Coast National Park. Don’t expect city action, E-Bay has two pool tables and two cafes. Visit the Bobbejaanberg Cave in Baboon Point.