Boland Surf Guide

Stellenbosch might well be landlocked, but it is quite centrally located which means if you watch the charts and are willing to put in the kilometres there are plenty of options for the Maties surfers. The secret is knowing your spots and getting the call right, because there are few things are frustrating as driving around looking for waves when it’s onshore and flat.

Strand

Maties Surf Champs at Strand

The nearest but not necessarily the best option is Strand. Strand or St. Rand, is a rather average (at best) beach-break set-up, conveniently only 22 kilometres from Stellenbosch. It works best in wind-still conditions, but it you’re not too fussy it can still be fun in anything from light to moderate winds. The prevailing summer South Easter is onshore to cross onshore and the winter North Wester is more cross-shore than off. The main break at Strand is located on the Western edge of the beach-front and is known as Pipe. Its name is taken from a rather unfortunate waste water pipeline rather than the form of the wave itself. At its best Strand Pipe can be punchy and fun with lefts and rights running across the sand-bars. The Pipe works best when the swell is in the three meter range, but when the swell crests four to four and a half meters the outside banks begin to play havoc with the lines, reducing the spot to a mushy mess.

Moving east along the beach from Pipe you’ll find Ducks which is roughly in front of the life-saving club house. ‘Ducks’ can handle a bit more wind and a little more swell that Pipe and is also generally a little heavier when it’s working. Further down the beach towards the town centre you’ll find Silkies which works in big swell when the outside banks start to break-up the lines too much for the other spots to break decently. It’s generally a last option spot but it can be fun if you’re not expecting too much.


Click for Strand Surf report. This covers the region from Strand to Koelbaai. 

Bikini Beach

Bikini Beach just breaking

In the Eastern corner of the Strand beachfront, nestled in the nook of the mountain is Gordon’s Bay. On the South Eastern side of the Gordon’s Bay harbour is Bikini Beach point, a rocky left running along the cliff and into the small bay made by the breakwater. The wave apparently used to be one of the best in the Cape, but with the locking in of sand by the development along the Strand beachfront the wave has become increasingly sectiony in recent years. It only starts breaking when the swell peaks over six to six and a half meters, depending on the period, but when it’s on it can still be very fun.

Bikini Beach in heaving conditions

In ideal conditions one can ride from above the nun’s pool right down to the inside near the beach, but you need to pick your wave carefully because if you get it wrong you can end up on the bricks. Bikini Beach offers the odd barrel but beware, when its working every surfer in Strand is likely to turn-up and drop-ins and snaking are the way of the day.

It works best on the pushing tide with light wind and if you are going to smash it rather bunk class to avoid the early morning or after work rush.

Koelbaai

Koelbaai is the quintessential Cape beach scene; pristine white sands, rugged mountains and a cola coloured stream cutting through the fynbos. It’s probably the only beach with decent waves in the world more popular with non-surfers than it is with surfers. Koelbay is located about half way between Gordon’s Bay and Rooiels along Clarence Drive and when you crest the rise and look down on the sliver of beach you’ll know you’re there.

The road to Koelbaai is half the fun and the scene of a couple of Top Gear shoots. If you’re in a rush to surf you’ll need to be on the lookout for cyclist, whale-watchers, baboons and dassies lurking around every bend.

The view down towards Koelbaai Beaches

The first recorded description of Koelbaai in South African history was by an English walker who was hiking from Somerset West towards Hermanus along he cost in the early nineteenth century. When he crested the rise and looked down upon the beach he was shocked to see a beached whale being devoured by a pack of brown hyenas. Around the same time an escaped slave from the Cape colony named Dapat, also make use of Koelbaai. Ledged has it that Dapat hid in the cave which provides western most surf spot with its name and potentially even sheltered cattle he had raided from the Somerset West farmers in the cave.

There are three surf spots along the Koelbaai beach, each with its own draw card. The primary break is Caves, a spot immensely popular with the body boarders. It’s a wedging beach break which picks up a phenomenal amount of swell because of a rocky pinnacle in the mouth of False Bay which refracts the dominant South West swell towards Koelbaai. From the parking area high above, Caves is very deceptive, it’s almost always bigger than it looks and when it gets over three foot it gets pretty heavy too. Expect a beating or two.

A bodyboarder dropknee at Caves

Towards Rooiels from Caves you’ll find Beaches, a kilometre or so of shifting peaks. Beaches tends to be less crowed and less heavy than Caves, but normally offers slightly longer rides. At its best in spring and summer Beaches and Caves work in the three meter swell range and although it seems counter intuitive the South Easter is actually off shore in Koelbaai.

One of the lures of walking down the beach in search of a deserted peak, is the potential of stumbling upon an exhibitionist tanning. The beach is very popular with the foreign crowd and many a European lady has been known to let her guard down. If you do stumble upon a topless tanner count yourself lucky, but don’t draw attention to yourself because then she’ll just roll over and spoil the fun.

The campsite at Koelbaai is an excellent place for a weekend away if you need to get out of the Bosch for a bit, but it’s best to come prepared. Even if you are only going to make a day of it pack a bag, the sun is a major factor so caps, sunscreen and water is a must. Also crime is an issue in the parking area so don’t take unnecessary valuables.

Chrystal Pools

The best bet is to convince a non-surfing friend (girlfriends work well for this, tell her she can tan), to spend the day on the beach look after your stuff and taking photos. If the surf is doesn’t play along but the weather is good you can always divert to Chrystal pools instead. Track back towards Gordon’s Bay and park near the bridge at the Sunbird resort. There is a well-worn path which leaves from next to the Wendy-house and the walk up the kloof takes about forty-five minutes. At the top you’ll find a sequence of rock pools which are perfect for a summer dip. If you’re feeling adventurous you can try the cliff jumping, but remember to do the safety check first.

Paranoia

Paranoia...

Paranoia is located at the end of Koelbaai beaches, on the eastern end where the beach gives way to a rocky point. Paranoia or Para’s is not for the faint hearted as the name would suggest. It only breaks when the swell is over four and a half meters which translates to about six foot on the point.

The intimidating factor at Para’s is not the wave as such but the sketchy point itself. Getting in and getting out can be notoriously treacherous, especially if you hesitate; the easy in is at the top of the point and requires you to paddle through a narrow channel which faces directly into the teeth of the swell. There is no real easy out, as the waves rush inexorably down the point towards a shallow shelf where you really don’t want to be.

Entry level Para's

The wave itself is often big and flat, but when the tide is just right it came throw a barrel or two. The take-off is the hardest part about the wave as you have to navigate a boil which can produce a nasty step in the face of the wave. When the swell gets really big Para’s comes into its own. In the ten foot region the wave itself overtakes the jump in the sketchy stakes, but the scramble in remains the most nerve racking part of the experience. Many a surfer has been forced down to Beaches in search of a way out, but that is not always the safest option as the pounding surf at Beaches can be even more relentless.

On the plus side for aspiring photo journos, Para’s makes for a great spot to take pictures. You can get really close to the action on the point and the Helderberg mountain range frames virtually every shot perfectly, especially if you get down to just above sea level.

The Bettie's line-up

Betty’s Bay

Nothing says winter in the Boland quite like a mid-week Betty session. With the North Wester howling and the swell pumping into the beach, holding up before feathering left and right through cold kelpy waters. Barrels and beatings galore.

Betty’s is a about an hour or so from Stellenbosch to the South East, along Clarence Drive. The main beach is the primary spot, although there are also waves to be had a Silver Sands closer to Pringle Bay and at the reef outside the little harbour.

Pat pulling in at Bettie's

The main beach has a few peaks, with the corner nearest Stony Point and the penguin colony being the dominant spot in summer when the beach slopes gently towards the sea. In winter though when the Cape storms ravage the beach, the sands shift and the beach becomes steeper, then the primary peak is slap bang in front of the car park.

Depending on the swell you might still have to paddle out in the corner because the shore-break can be treacherous. You’ll know you had a good Betty’s session when three surfs later bits of kelp is still washing out of your wetsuit.

A rare winter wall

When Betty’s gets into the four foot region and the North Wester is pumping, it’s best to be on a slightly longer board. 5’7” although fun when it’s wind still, are likely to get you pitched with the lip as you struggle to throw yourself down the face.

Around Betty’s there are a few other options, with Pringle Bay offering a wave or two when the South Easter is up and somewhere past the Handklip hotel is the illusive Spot-X.

In the other direction you’ll find Kokerot and Kakerlak. When driving along Clarence Drive out of Betty’s Bay towards Kleinmont, it’s best to park just before the bridge over the Palmiet River and walk along the coast. It’s a bit of a mission, but well worth it in the right conditions.

Waiting for the tide to drop at Kokerot

Both spots prefer three meter plus swell and a light North Wester. Kokerot is a bodyboarding favourite; it’s a ledging right which barrels right from the take-off before dissipating in the channel twenty yards down the line. The hazard of the wave is the reef ledge on which it breaks, as the tide drops it starts to suck dry, so making the take-off is a must. It doesn’t really break on the high tide though so braving the rock is also a necessity. 

Kakerlak is a little more surfer friendly than its neighbour, but the farmer whose land you have to trek through is anything but neighbourly. But I guess that years of bodyboarders missioning through your land will eventually piss even the most mild mannered of souls off eventually. Perhaps it’s because our prone colleagues have a tendency to be a rather noxious and noisy lot.

Gut sliders hey, always ruining surfers’ good times…


Click for the Kleinmond Surf report. This covers the region from Betty's to Hawston.

Further East

Kleinmond, Hawston, Onrus and beyond...

Beyond Betty’s it becomes a bit far for a day trip, but there are still plenty of waves to be had. Keinmond is the next holiday town along and it holds the rather dubious distinction of being the only small town in the area to boast a jet-ski at the life-saving club.

As you’d infer the rip at Keinmond is industrial strength, which makes for interesting banks, but the beach is also very exposed making it fickle at the best of times.

The Onrus left

The Kleinmond beach extends for miles east, broken only by the Botrivier Estuary as it bends towards Hawston. Hawston is not only the home of abalone poaching and Gio Aplon, it’s possibly the Hossegor of South Africa too. There are epic beach-breaks galore, but the high crime rate and local gangsters tend to keep the crowds to a bare minimum.

Bjorn on a Bay View bomb

A little further along the R43 towards Hermanus you’ll find Onrus River, an idyllic little holiday town with a heavy shorie and your pick of a left or a right breaking at either end of a small bay. Onrus picks up a fair amount of swell and is pretty sheltered so it’s a great go to place for a summer surf. The camping site is very jacked up too, and out of season you might just have the place to yourself.

Hermanus itself also has a wave or two, with the main attraction being a reef called Bay View. Bay View is located east of the old harbour and breaks from six foot to twenty six, so it needs quite a bit of swell. As with most big wave spots it’s not for the faint hearted, or the under gunned. But if you keen on getting your photos in surf magazines Bay View is probably your best bet in the Boland.


Click for the Hurmanus Surf report. This covers the Hurmanus and Onrus area.

Cape Town

The False Bay scene from the Berg to the Reef

On the False Bay side of Town there are a few attractive options for the Maties surfers. With Baden Powel Drive linking Stellenbosch to Muizenberg even the foreign exchange students have no problem finding their way to Surfers’ Corner. For the more experienced surfers Muizenberg might be more attractive because of the surf shops and shapers rather than the wave, but not too far along the peninsular there are a few more challenging options.

If you are new to surfing Muizenberg is probably the place to go, there you’ll have your pick of surf schools, second hand boards and fellow beginners to plough into as you wobble your way to becoming a surfer. Don’t be put off by the crowd though, it’s been worse, Muizenberg holds the Guinness World Record for the most surfers on a single wave. (They say it was co-ordinated, but I’m not buying it.)

Josh Salie, Muizenberg punt

If you take the beach road from Muizenberg towards Simons Town keep a lookout to your left for a private tennis court between you and the sea. In front of the court is a spot called Dangers Reef, the natural stepping stone on your way to the infamous Kalk Bay.

Both of these spots are heavy lefts, though Kalk Bay Reef is very definitely the mean big brother.


Click here for the False Bay surf report.

On the Atlantic side the Kommetjie area offers a smörgåsbord of waves. In the shadow of the Slangkop Lighthouse you’ll find Outer and Inner Kom, with the first being one of the gnarliest waves around and the second one of the kelpiest. Moving north from the Kom you’ll reach Long Beach, the breading ground of many of Cape Town’s finest competitive surfers.

The Atlantic Seaboard

North again from Long Beach is Sunset Reef, on of Cape Town’s iconic big wave spots. On the other side of Sunsets marked by the wreck of the Kakapo is Dunes. Dunes is often the least crowed of the breaks in the area, mainly due to the half hour walk to get there. It can be tricky to find if you’ve never surfed it before, but the just of the matter is if you come upon the rusting hulk of Kakapo’s old steam boiler, you’ve gone about a hundred meters too far.

In the far corner of Long Beach is The Hoek, a spot which resembles Caves in that it is primarily a wedging right, though where Koelbaai is synonymous sunny skies and warm water The Hoek is sea mists and icy grey oceans.

Click here for the Kommetjie and Long Beach surf report.