Surfing at Strand beach near Cape Town is popular all year round and other surf spots nearby offer surfers the chance to catch waves elsewhere if the conditions are not quite favourable for the Strand. Good waves can be found at the far end of the beach which locals refer to as “The Pipe”. Autumn and spring are good times of the year when solid ground swell pushes through regularly and days are often windless. Winter is usually consistent for good waves in the area and the predominant wind this time of year here is the North Westerly which is offshore.
In the summer months, surfing at Strand beach is still popular although the South Easter, favourable for kite boarding, is cross shore and more often than not the swell is small. When the South Easter is blowing and the waves are small a good option for finding a ride able wave is to head on through Gordon’s Bay and around the coast to a popular surf spot called Kogel Bay, or “Cool Bay” as the locals refer to it. Cool Bay is usually bigger than the Strand as it is more exposed to the South African swell window and picks up more swell. This particular spot is for experienced surfers only as it is an extremely powerful wave which often breaks in very shallow water.
Among other popular spots in the area are Betty’s Bay, Silver Sands, Pringle Bay (which closes out a lot) and even Bikini beach. Surfing at Bikini Beach is not common, it only works on a huge swell and normally breaks just a few times every year. When it does though, it can get classic, it is a left hand break that can offer a freight train ride from the point to the beach when the swell direction is right and it connects properly. Betty’s Bay gets good waves in the winter months and again, the North West wind is offshore here, it can close out a lot as well but when the sand banks are just right, can also get epic. There are a few secret spots in this area which we would not disclose here and recommend you go surfing at the Strand beach and popular surf spots close by and maybe befriend a few locals to try and get some local knowledge on the lesser known breaks.