Coffee Bay • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (May - August)

The Southern Ocean hits full stride in the heart of the year and Coffee Bay feels every bit of it. Average wave heights hold in the 2.0-2.3m (6.5-7.5ft) range while average periods climb to 11.1-11.7 seconds, signaling a steady diet of mid-latitude groundswell from the Roaring Forties. Just as important, the wind machine shifts in your favor. Winter cold fronts sweeping across South Africa drag a W to NW component behind them, pushing the ideal wind window up to 41-46% in May, June and July. Combined with cooler but still pleasant water temperatures (20.6-21.6°C) and minimal rainfall, this is the most reliable window for clean, powerful surf along this stretch of the Wild Coast.

Fair Surf Season (March - April & September)

Surrounding the peak months, April and September offer a taste of the good stuff but with more variability. Average periods are still healthy (10.6-10.7s) and swell heights remain solid in the 2.0-2.2m (6.5-7ft) range, but the ideal wind window drops to 22-26% as the northeast flow begins to reassert itself. You'll have to work around prefrontal NW winds and pick off the windows between NE/ENE spells, but the quality available in these months can easily rival winter.

Low Surf Season (October - February)

Subtropical summer takes over from October through February. The average swell height still sits near 1.9-2.2m (6-7ft), but the periods drop to 9.6-9.9 seconds and the swell gets more local, less organized and often wind-blown. The persistent NE/ENE trades dominate the wind rose, leaving only a 13-15% chance of true offshore conditions. Warm water (20.9-24.2°C), humid air and frequent showers come with the territory. There are still fun waves, especially when a coastal low pumps in E/SE swell, but you'll have to pick the windows carefully.