Jeffreys Bay, on the Eastern Cape coast of South Africa, is home to one of the best right-hand point breaks in the world. Its most famous section, Supertubes, throws long, fast and often hollow walls over a rock reef. On the right swell the point links up for rides that are hard to believe until you see them from the car park.
It's also a serious wave: fast, crowded, cold in winter, and in waters where great white sharks live. This guide covers when to go and what to know before you paddle out.
What makes it special
The point faces the right way for Southern Ocean storms. Swell generated far to the south-west wraps around the coast and hits a long, rocky reef at an angle, so it peels to the right instead of breaking all at once. Westerly and north-westerly winds blow offshore and hold the faces up. When the swell, the wind and the tide line up, Supertubes is one of the most perfect waves anywhere.
Surf travellers first came here in the 1960s, when the film The Endless Summer showed nearby Cape St Francis. They found Jeffreys Bay was faster, more powerful and more consistent. Today the World Surf League's J-Bay Open is held at Supertubes in July.
Best time to go: month by month
The season is the southern winter, May to September, and that's what Best Time to Ride shows. Our data agrees clearly: the average wave height is 3.4–3.8 m from May to September, against 2.7–2.8 m from December to March. Winter is when the big Southern Ocean storms track closest to South Africa.
Averages over recent years from weather data; tap a spot for daily detail.
- Jan: Summer, smaller and often windy, warmest water.
- Feb: Summer.
- Mar: Summer, the odd early swell.
- Apr: Swell building, fewer people.
- May: Season starts.
- Jun: Prime.
- Jul: Prime, J-Bay Open, busiest.
- Aug: Prime, biggest average waves.
- Sep: Prime, end of the core season.
- Oct: Shoulder month.
- Nov: Smaller.
- Dec: Summer holidays, small and busy on the beach.
These are monthly averages from a weather model, measured offshore. They show the trend well, but the point itself needs the swell to wrap in from the right angle, and a big average does not mean every day is on. In season, swells tend to come in pulses with smaller days in between.
It's also dry here compared with many surf destinations: only 5–9 rainy days a month all year in our data.
The sections of the point
From the top of the point down, the main sections are usually listed as Kitchen Windows, Magnatubes, Boneyards, Supertubes, Impossibles, Tubes, The Point and Albatross. On rare days, Boneyards links through to The Point for a ride of more than a kilometre.
- Boneyards is a short, shallow section at the top of Supers, near the usual paddle-out. It's taken seriously by locals.
- Supertubes is the main event: the longest, fastest and hollowest stretch, over a reef of rocks and boulders.
- Impossibles is, as the name suggests, a section that often races ahead faster than you can make it.
- The Point and Albatross, further down, are softer and slower, and popular with longboarders and intermediate surfers.
- Main Beach in town is a sand-bottom break where surf schools teach beginners.
The tide note on our spot page: it works on most tides, lower tides tend to be faster and hollower, and a very high tide can slow some sections.
Level and who it suits
Supertubes is for advanced surfers. It's fast, it breaks on rock, and the line-up is full of skilled locals and travellers. Intermediates will have a better time at The Point or at other spots nearby on smaller days. Beginners should take lessons at Main Beach.
Hazards and etiquette
- Rocks and the paddle-out. You get in and out over rocks, which are sharp, covered in mussels in places and slippery at low tide. Time your entry between sets. Booties help on the rocks.
- Sharks. Great white sharks are present along this coast. In the 2015 J-Bay Open final, a shark tangled in Mick Fanning's leash on live TV; he escaped unhurt. Surf with others, avoid murky water and dawn or dusk sessions near river mouths, and follow local advice and any warnings on the beach.
- Crowds. In July especially, the line-up is packed. Priority is respected, and dropping in will not be forgiven. Don't paddle straight to the top of Boneyards as a visitor.
- Power. On big days the current runs down the point and the sets are heavy. Know where you will come in before you go out.
- Emergency number in South Africa: 10111 (112 from a mobile).
Water and what to wear
In season the water is 16–18°C in our data, and winter mornings are cold, with air minimums around 9–12°C from June to September. A good 4/3 full suit is the standard, and many surfers add booties. In summer the water warms to about 20°C, enough for a 3/2. Our wetsuit guide by water temperature has more detail.
Getting there and around
Jeffreys Bay is just off the N2 highway, about 75 km south-west of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), whose airport is the nearest. Another common route is to fly into Cape Town and drive east along the Garden Route. A rental car is the easiest way to get around and to check other spots along the coast. Accommodation ranges from surf lodges and guesthouses close to Supertubes to holiday flats in town; staying within walking distance of the point saves a lot of driving to check the surf.
Tips from riders
- Watch from the boardwalk first. You'll see where the take-off is, how people paddle out through the rocks and how far the current pulls.
- Bring a slightly longer board than usual for bigger days. The wave is fast and you need to get in early.
- When the main point is crowded, the sections further down can have more waves for the same swell.
- Check the wind. Westerly and north-westerly winds are offshore; easterlies blow onshore.
FAQ
When is the best time to surf Jeffreys Bay? May to September, the southern winter. In our data the average wave height peaks at 3.6–3.8 m from June to September.
Is Jeffreys Bay good for beginners? Supertubes is not. Beginners should learn at Main Beach, and intermediates usually enjoy The Point more.
Are there sharks at J-Bay? Yes, great white sharks live along this coast. Attacks are rare, but surf with others and follow local advice.
How cold is the water in winter? About 16–17°C from June to August in our data. Wear a 4/3 and consider booties.
You can see every month for Supertubes, with waves, water, air and rain, on its spot page on Best Time to Ride.
