uk es it fr pt nl
Big Bay break guidePhoto by: Brent

Big Bay Surf Guide

Big Bay in Western Cape is an exposed beach break that has reasonably consistent surf and can work at any time of the year. Offshore winds are from the east southeast. Clean groundswells prevail and the ideal swell direction is from the southwest. The beach breaks offer lefts and rights. Good surf at all stages of the tide. Often Crowded. Beware of rips and rocks.

Big Bay Spot Info

Type:Rating:
Icon beachBeachIcon  s44.0
Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
fairly consistent
15.3°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Big Bay:

The best conditions reported for surf at Big Bay occur when a Southwest swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the East-southeast.

Surf Forecasts:

What's the best time of year to surf Big Bay (for consistent clean waves)?

marchBest Season: summer
The best time of year for surfing Big Bay with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Summer and most often the month of March. Clean surfable waves are typically found 61% of the time in March while 33% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 6% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
61%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
33%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
6%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Big Bay Location Map

Interactive Big Bay surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The nearest passenger airport to Big Bay is Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in South Africa, which is 23 km (14 miles) away (directly). The second closest airport to Big Bay is Oudtshoorn Airport (DUH), also in South Africa, 346 km (215 miles) away.

Icon breakBreak
Icon legend buoysLive Wave Height (m)
Icon legend windLive Wind Speed (km/h)
Placeholder
Map placeholder
Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Big Bay Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Wednesday, 22 March 2023, 18:44 Local Time
Wednesday 22Thu
5PM8PM11PM2AM
Wave (m)
1.3
SW
1.3
SW
1.1
SW
2
SSE
Period (s) 13 12 12 8
Wind (km/h)
15
15
15
15
Wind State cross-
off
cross-
off
off off

Swell History at Big Bay

Surf stats for Big Bay, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

Wind History at Big Bay

Wind stats for Big Bay, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.

Other Nearby Breaks Closest To:

Discover surf breaks near Big Bay. Click below to view there surf guides.

    • Icon pointPoint
    • Icon  s43.5
    Reliability: fairly consistent
    0km away
    • Icon sandbar  redSandbar
    • Icon  s33.2
    Reliability: fairly consistent
    2km away
    • Icon beachBeach
    • Icon  s32.8
    Reliability: inconsistent
    2km away
    • Icon beachBeach
    • Icon  s43.5
    Reliability: fairly consistent
    3km away
    • Icon sandbar  redSandbar
    • Icon  s33.0
    Reliability: inconsistent
    3km away

Wave Buoys Nearest To Big Bay: