Surfers' dream — this is what makes Jeffreys Bay one of the best surf spots in the world

Daily Maverick

3 days ago

The quaint town in the Eastern Cape has a reputation that extends far beyond South Africa.
Jeffreys Bay is a quaint little town about an hour's drive east of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape. For 11 months of the year it's a quiet, picturesque stopover when travelling to the bigger cities in the province.
But in July, Da Gama Road – the main street in the town – fills with bumper-to-bumper traffic as tourists from around the globe stream to Supertubes at Dolphin Beach, where a huge wooden deck provides a stunning view of the waves below.
Surfers from all over the world are found below, trying to catch the crest of the nearly perfect waves as the World Surf League (WSL) is in town for the Corona Cero Open J-Bay, which has made a welcome return. This leg of the WSL was cancelled last year because it clashed with the Olympic Games.
Speak to one of the world-renowned surfers fighting for a top-five spot on the WSL rankings and they all gush about how much they enjoy surfing in Jeffreys Bay.
'Jeffreys Bay is just one of those iconic locations that everyone wants to see every year on tour,' said South African surfer and 2024 Olympian Matthew McGillivray.
But what makes the waves any different from those found close to the shores of any other beach in the world?
The answer most given is the right-hand point break. Most of the popular surf spots in the world, including the other WSL tour spots, break on the left, favouring goofy surfers. This point break also stretches across for long distances, extending several hundred metres over Supertubes.
'The swell comes from the south and it breaks towards the right-hand side,' said Cheron Kraak, who is part of the surfing ­fabric in Jeffreys Bay.
'There are many right-hand waves around the world. But if you look at the shape of the bay, the wave, when it's big you can ride from here all the way down to a kilometre or so, which is completely unique in the world.'
Prestigious spot
The high wooden deck at Supertubes also provides spectators with breathtaking views of the action in the ocean. The point break is relatively close, so fans can watch without binoculars.
'As far as surfing goes, it's one of the most core prestigious surf spots in the world,' South African surfing legend Jordy Smith said just before the start of the Corona Cero Open J-Bay. 'It's an extremely natural environment. It's like an amphitheatre.
'It's really easy viewing, so you get to feel the surfers when you see them riding waves. And that's not the case at many other waves around the world. A lot of the time they can be pretty far out, but here at J-Bay you see the lines coming, you see the guy paddling, riding the waves, and obviously they're immersed in nature.
'There's thousands of dolphins, there's whales, some years even sharks, so there's a lot of action, whether you're on the beach or in the water.'
For the past few tours there has been little chance of these sea creatures disturbing any of the surfers because there have been designated animal watchers deeper in the ocean, who alert staff closer to the shore when to call the surfers in at the possibility that the water could become dangerous. This was initiated after the 2015 competition, when Australian surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by a great white shark at the final of the J-Bay Open. He survived by punching the shark.
Fanning and his final opponent, Aussie compatriot Julian Wilson, decided not to finish the final and split the victory – the only time this has happened in J-Bay. Fanning won in 2014 and 2016.
The official magazine for this year's nine-day surf event has the winners listed in chronological order. The winner of 2015, according to the mag? The shark.
A changing town
McGillivray was born in Gqeberha and moved to Jeffreys Bay a few years ago to have regular access to one of the best beaches in the world. Smith, originally from Durban, has also made the small town his home for a period.
But Jeffreys Bay wasn't always centred on surfing. 'Originally, it was a really quiet little fishing town with holiday houses for Afrikaans farmers,' said Kraak, who moved to Jeffreys Bay in the late 1970s from Johannesburg. 'And of course, once the surfers came to town, it was a shock. It was like aliens [had arrived].'
Kraak saw the explosion of surfing in the town and was part of making it more accessible. She started the surfing brand Country Feeling in the early 1980s, and the original store is still on Da Gama Road.
'It was a very gradual process,' she said, 'but then people came to live here. Electricians, plumbers… Obviously there was nowhere for them to work so they started their own little businesses.
'Also, in those days, we couldn't find a place to rent – nobody would rent to the surfers. So, you found people who came here wanted to stay here. They then bought pieces of land, which were incredibly cheap, and built little houses. And it grew because people want to be here. Surfers want to be here.
'I mean, it's a dream of every guy in the world to live here.'
For a few days in July, Jeffreys Bay is akin to a bustling city, but despite the drastic changes it has undergone over the past few decades and the influx of people, it still has its charm as a small town – which just happens to be one of the best surf spots in the world. DM