JEFFREYS BAY SURF BREAKS
Brenton Williams
Now that you are ready to surf,
what breaks are there to surf? Here is the inside info on each
surf break in town. Enjoy; just remember that you will meet
many hospitable and friendly people but respect the local
surfers. They can make your trip a memorable one and you could
even make life long friends but if you are disrespectful it is
almost guaranteed you won’t be getting many waves!
SUPERTUBES
South
Africa’s premier wave! A stiff paddle out awaits the
unsuspecting surfer. Rather wait and watch how the locals do
it. Timing here is everything. You can get into the line up
without even getting your hair wet but get it wrong and you will
get hammered.
Once in the line up, pause and
check out the situation. Supers is the most localized spot in
South Africa. The locals tolerate no nonsense! Due to the
crowds that flock to the break each year, local surfers have
organized themselves to deal with the “invasion”. However, if
you wait your turn and show respect you will end up getting
waves. It might take a few sessions but once your face is
recognized and you earn a reputation for being respectful, you
won’t have any problems.
The wave is best in the 4 – 8 ft
category. On the better days the wave breaks from the top of
the point and winds all the way along the reef, past the car
park to an awesome barrel section. Then its kick out time
before the wave closes out at Impossibles.
A SW wind is best. Due to the
sand dunes, the break is protected no matter how hard the SW
blows. NW is cross shore and often blows in the early morning.
It creates a bump that can make things unpleasant, especially on
critical take off’s. East and SE winds destroy everything but
are most predominant in the summer months. A South wind can
still be fun as it causes “crumbly” sections that can be bashed.
The Billabong Pro surf contest is
held each July at Supertubes. You can use the time to watch top
quality surfing or start exploring the many attractions in and
around J’Bay.
The locals: The wave is ridden
by many of the locals but the established crew are: Mikey
Meyer, Koffie, Arthur Joubert, Trevor Hansen, Thys Strydom, Brad
Davey, Wayne De Lange, Brenton Williams, Bossie, Brendan Muldoon,
Doc Van der Heuwel, Anthony Wulff and Warren Dean.
The closest accommodation is the
Beach House, Supertubes Guest House, Beach Music or the
Surfpackers.
TUBES
Further down the point, one comes
across a fun barrely wave aptly called Tubes. It a short and
sometimes intense ride but loads of fun. On the bigger days
there is a strong rip and the wave is best in the 4 – 5 ft
category. Offshore on a SW wind, it also likes a S or SW swell
direction. There is relatively small take off section, which
means Tubes cannot hold a large crowd. Home to the elder crew
(and some youngsters) of J Bay surfers one will meet up with
Jeff Mc Carthy, David Yosh, Glen Bowles, Gary Yosh and Ian
Vermaak.
The same accommodation can be
used as Supertubes to get close to the break.
POINT
The first wave to be surfed in
Jeffreys Bay. Point was discovered by long boarders in the
early 1960’s, little knowing they had stumbled across one of the
natural wonders of the world.
Not as protected as the other
waves on strong SW day’s, Point does handle a large swell. The
bowl offers some heavy take-off’s but after that the wave
mellows out and becomes a bottom turn, cut back combination
wave. On a really good day, barrels can be found here as well.
A low tide means waves breaking right on the ledge and you can
get fun waves here when it is too small to surf anywhere else.
A South wind can also be fun as Point offers sections that can
be truly blasted.
Point is the breeding ground of
the J’bay grommets. The pecking order in J’bay is strictly
enforced. The groms are only allowed at Tubes and then at
Supers once they have paid their dues. However, they are well
looked after by the elder surfers who make sure the youngsters
get their waves, no matter how crowded the surf gets.
This wave is the perfect place to
start your J’Bay surf trip. If you want to settle down and get
used to the power and vibe of the town paddle out here. There
is a gully in front of the car park but again your timing must
be right. There is a long “danger zone” that has to be
negotiated before you reach the safety of the back line,
especially on the big days.
Point is best in the 3-8 ft range,
depending on what size waves you are comfortable with. Here you
could end up surfing with local legends Larry Levin and Bruce
Gold, or one of the up and coming groms like Sammy Mabetshe,
Sebastian Coetzee, Josh and Nick Rodwell, Dane Morris and Renier
Van Staden.
Point Break is the nearest
accommodation and actually overlooks the wave.
ALBATROSS
One of the uncrowded breaks in
J’Bay. Slightly out of town, the wave works best on a NW wind
and a low tide. Can get epic but usually better somewhere
else. It needs the right combination of wind, tide and swell
direction to get it good. No local crew as yet. Book yourself
into Bay Cove which is just across the road from Albatross.
BONEYARDS
The top section of Supers.
Breaks both left and right. Works best on a NW – blowing
lightly. The wave has earned its name because it really breaks
in shallow water. Locals who have grown tired of the crowds at
Supers have ended up surfing Boneyards. So if you get asked to
move down to Supers, it’s probably better to go. It is rumoured
that the JBU, a local crew of surfers, have claimed Boneyards as
their sanctuary. You will find surfers like Stephen Bibb,
Ashley Walter, Gaybba, Matt da Cruz, Kevin Calbarri, the JBU and
if you see someone pulling into insane barrels and popping out
again, you can be pretty sure its Warren Dean.
Villa Delfini, De Duine and Sea
Shells are the best places to stay when surfing Boneyards and
Magnatubes.
MAGNATUBES
Probably the heaviest wave in
J’Bay. It’s gnarly, unpredictable and sometimes just plain
nasty! Best at 3-5ft and needs a NW. The SW is cross shore and
the break is quite exposed. Likes a high tide, otherwise it
tends to throw big close out sections.
There is a crew of low key
surfers who call “Magna’s their home. They include long time
local Reinke, Martin the King of Magna’s, Mike, Gordon, Tyron,
Ian and sometimes Porky.
KITCHEN WINDOW
Situated on Main Beach, Kitchens
is a mellow reef break that is an underrated wave. A light SW
wind is best on a mid tide. As soon as the wind picks up, the
spray starts feeling like buck shot. Kitchens is the home break
for kids from Pellsrus, a poor community on the edge of J’Bay.
Surfing is giving these kids an opportunity in life. You could
surf with Kitchens legends Paul and Steven Jeggels or some of
the groms like Marshall Perils, Letitia Lee, Daniel Jeggels,
Desmond Syce and Dominique Abersalie. Jeffreys Bay Backpackers,
Island Vibe and Main Beach Backpackers cater for the Kitchen
Window surfers.
MAIN BEACH
A beach break that generally
closes out. But if you are in town go check out the South Coast
Surf School, who are getting the next generation of locals into
the ocean. Little groms like Dylan Lightfoot, Keane Hansen,
Lomo Maarschalk, Shaun Duvenhage, Roxy and Shelly Bowien, Kyle
Van Heerden, Jason Levin and Sadie Hansen are sure to grace the
long cylindrical walls of Supetubes in years to come.
