JEFFREY’S BAY, SOUTH AFRICA is one of the world’s most famous surf spots.
Jeffrey’s Bay is host to the annual World Surf League’s “JBay Open” at SuperTubes Beach and has been ranked the #2 surf destination in the world. A SuperTube breaks for over 300 meters, making it regarded as “the best part of the wave.”.
JBay, as it is known, has earned itself the reputation of being home to one of the world’s best right-handed point breaks both in quality and reliability. Jeffrey’s Bay is divided into eight sections. These include Kitchen Windows, Magna tubes, Boneyards, Supertubes, Impossibles, Tubes, the Point, and Albatross. Containing your ecstasy if you are fortunate enough to catch the wave that links the Boneyard to the Point, will be near impossible while riding that one kilometer long wave.
Jeffreys Bay is surrounded by natural reserves and on the shores are over 400 specimens of seashell, making it a surf destination with the largest shell collection. On the shore, you will find a seashell shop, which is the oldest shell shop in South Africa. This is attributed to the Agulhas current that also brings us incredible swells to surf. Dolphin Beach in Jeffrey’s Bay has also earned itself a Blue Flag Status making it a beach certified in meeting the Foundations for Environmental Education’s standards that include safety, quality, environmental information and education, service provision, and general environmental management criteria. An awesome place to spend your surf holiday is definitely Jeffreys Bay.
Is Jeffrey’s Bay a Reef Break?
JBay is not only an incredible reef Break but also a Point Break, and a Beach break, all within less than a one-kilometer walk along the beach. Jeffrey’s Bay is where you will find one of the world’s best right-hand point breaks which sees many surfers worldwide visiting every year. Each of the eight sections of Jeffreys bay has its specialty.
Supertubes, particularly, is referred to as “SA’s Premier Wave”. This is where the World Surf Leagues Billabong Pro Surf Contest takes place every July. It’s where a large number of visitors, both foreign and local, flock for a great surf holiday in Jeffrey’s Bay. The waves break from the top of the point and move along the reef, to an awesome rolling barrel making it not only a sight to behold but also a wave, that if you can catch, makes for a surf experience that is hard to beat.
Where is good surf in Jeffrey’s Bay?
Regardless of what you deem as “good surf”, Jeffreys bay has it all.
There are eight sections of Jeffreys Bay that you can surf and explore. Supertubes is by far the most popular spot to surf and on a good day 4-8ft high swells make for an exciting, fast ride with huge tube sections. It’s not only a very popular spot to surf in Jeffrey’s Bay, but also where you can experience an epic right-hander that you won’t easily find elsewhere.
For the more intermediate surfers, we would recommend Point or Albatross. Point is a fun wave that breaks much slower and allows for a more relaxed surf. If you enjoy longboarding, this is the spot for you. Albatross is also awesome for longboarding and is the last spot in Jeffrey’s Bay before the beach heads off into Port Elizabeth. It’s usually uncrowded and the right-hander, although not ideal for advanced surfers, the intermediate surfer will enjoy this wave.
Is Jeffrey’s Bay good for Surf?
Yes. Without a doubt, Jeffrey’s Bay is not just good but great for surf. It’s one of the top surfing destinations in the world. To enjoy the most awesome surf that Jeffrey’s Bay has to offer, the best time to visit would be between May and September. These are the winter months, in which you can expect wave faces around 20 feet high. It is, in no uncertain terms, the perfect time to visit Jeffrey’s Bay. It is during this time that the area is far less crowded, and there are ample, quality swells to enjoy.
JBay in its entirety is a relaxed and friendly place where you will be made to feel welcome and there are plenty of things to do along the beaches. The seafood at the restaurants along the beaches of Jeffreys Bay offers incredible seafood and in particular, Calamari. It’s most certainly something to write home about. There are hiking trails through nature reserves, flamingoes return to the Kabeljous Estuary for the summer and if, while you are moving through the reserve, you feel like stopping off for a break, there is a lovely spot where you can park off and enjoy a relaxing picnic while taking in the serene views of the East Coast of South Africa.
Before getting started on planning this trip all by yourself, contact South Africa Surf Tours for a free quote on your trip to Jeffrey’s Bay. You can add on some extra’s and apart from enjoying riding world-class waves on the beautiful water, you can explore the land and head out on a safari tour, or perhaps even check out the scenery from high above and on a paragliding adventure.
There’s so much to see here. We know you will love it!
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