A Surfing Guide to Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa’s Surfing Capital
Summary
J-Bay does not need any more presentation. With its dreamy right-hand point breaks barreling for miles, there is potential here for the wave of a lifetime.
Located in the middle of the South-African coastline between Cape St.Francis and Port Elizabeth which were first made popular by the movie The Endless Summer in 1966, Jeffrey’s Bay has become Africa’s most iconic surf spot.
Despite a shark attack during the finals in 2015, the World Surf League still comes here every winter for the prestigious J-Bay Open.
On top of having excellent surfing conditions, the town of J-Bay is very backpacker friendly and lively. All the ingredients are gathered for a successful surf trip to remember. Even if experienced surfers will probably be able to take better advantage of this world-class surf spot, beginners are also welcome and will easily find a surf school to get into the sport.
When to Surf Jeffrey’s Bay
The best time to surf Jeffrey’s Bay (J-Bay), South Africa is pretty much any time of the year, depending on what kind of conditions you are after. Winter will get bigger and a bit more consistent but obviously colder, while summer will be smaller and windier, with milder temperatures.
| January-February | March-April | May-June | July-August | September-October | November-December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suitable for: | Intermediate Advanced | Intermediate Advanced | Intermediate Advanced | Intermediate Advanced | Intermediate Advanced | Intermediate Advanced |
| Air temperature | 22°C 72°F | 20°C 68°F | 16°C 61°F | 15°C 59°F | 17°C 63°F | 19°C 66°F |
| Water temperature | 21°C 70°F | 21°C 70°F | 21°C 70°F | 19°C 66°F | 19°C 66°F | 20°C 68°F |
| Crowd | Few people | Few people | Fairly crowded | Fairly crowded | Fairly crowded | Few people |
| Swell consistency | 90% | 90% | 95% | 95% | 90% | 90% |
| Swell height | 9ft | 9ft | 11ft | 12ft | 11ft | 10ft |
Where to stay in Jeffrey’s Bay
Best surf hotels in Jeffrey’s Bay
Getting there
Fly into Port Elizabeth and grab a shuttle or bus to Jeffrey’s Bay. You can also drive along the scenic coastline from Cape Town but this will take a bit less than 8 hours.
Safety/things to know
- Shark sightings are frequent in Jeffrey’s Bay, refer to local lifeguards.
- Wet suits are needed all year long.
- South Africa has a high criminality rate. J-Bay remains quite safe but stay careful.
- 4th highest AIDS concentration in the world after Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana.
Surf spots in Jeffrey’s Bay
Supertubes
The crown jewel of J-Bay. Known for its ultra-long, fast, and hollow right-hand walls, Supertubes is a dream wave for advanced surfers seeking barrels and big carves.
- Wave: Right
- Bottom: Reef & rock
- Skill: Advanced
- Swell: SW
- Wind: W or NW
Magnetubes
A short but intense barrel section between Boneyards and Supers. Offers fast, punchy waves that can produce short, hollow rides on the right conditions.
- Wave: Right
- Bottom: Reef
- Skill: Advanced
- Swell: SW
- Wind: W
Boneyard
Located just up the point from Supertubes, Boneyards is a shallower and hollower wave that occasionally links into Supers on the right swell. It also offers a rare left.
- Wave: Left & right
- Bottom: Reef & rock
- Skill: Advanced
- Swell: SW
- Wind: NW