Elands Bay - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (May - August)

The winter months bring the most consistent and powerful swell to Elands Bay, as the South Atlantic storm track fires up. Average swell heights climb to 1.5-1.7m with periods averaging 12s+, delivering solid, punchy waves. The wind regime shifts to favor southerly and southeasterly offshore flows, with ideal conditions occurring 37-42% of the time. This is when the combination of strong SW-WSW swell and clean offshore winds produces the most reliable surfing.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September serve as transition months. April sees the onset of more consistent swell, but ideal wind drops to 39% as the wind pattern fluctuates. September still has moderate swell heights (1.5m) but a lower percentage of favorable offshore winds (34%), making it a hit-or-miss period.

Low Surf Season (October - March)

Summer months from October to March are the least reliable. Swell heights drop to 1.2-1.3m and periods hover around 11-12s, resulting in fun-sized but less powerful waves. Moreover, the wind is offshore only 22-33% of the time, with frequent northwesterly and onshore winds that spoil the shape. This is the season for small-wave boards and patience.

July: Consistent and Clean

July offers very similar conditions to June, with average swell height still at 1.7m and the longest average period of the year at 12.5s. WSW swell leads at 49.9%, closely followed by SW (30.5%), ensuring a steady supply of groundswell. Offshore winds are ideal 40% of the time, maintaining a high level of quality. The wind pattern is slightly more consistent from the S and SSE, with less interference from northerlies compared to June. This makes July a prime month for long, clean sessions. The waves are powerful and heavy, but the consistency and shape are as good as it gets. Don't sleep on July.