Continent |
Africa |
Country |
South Africa |
Next Big City |
Port Elizabeth |
Next Town |
Bluewater Bay |
|
Type: |
Ocean, Lagoon, River Mouth |
Rider Ability: |
Beginner, Intermediate, Expert |
Features: |
Rescue, Shower, Toilet, Food, Parking |
Water
Type: |
Chop, Small wave, Medium wave |
Hazards: |
Animals, None |
Quality: |
Crystal clear |
Best Tide: |
High tide |
You can stay in the mouth of the river and in the lagoon for nice flat water or you can take the waves on an big swell in the back for high air jumps, waves not too big, not too much white water, but you see sharks every once in a while, luckily they are not bothered.
Beach
Type: |
Sand |
Size: |
Medium |
Hazards: |
Rocks |
Beach Users: |
None |
Nice soft sand with no pebbles, rocks only at one spot of the mouth of the river, but easily avoidable, huge beach, 5km of open space, 80meters wide and hardly any people on the beach.
Weather
Spring:
|
Shorty |
Summer:
|
Shorts, Shorty |
Fall:
|
Shorty |
Winter:
|
Shorty |
During summer the air is up to 30°C and water up to 24°C.
Wind
Best Months: |
January, February, March, November, December |
Wind Type: |
Thermal |
Best Direction: |
NE, SSW, SW |
Main Direction: |
NE, SW, WSW, W |
It's almost always windy in summer time, November to March, very strong conditions with the wind normally peaking at 3-4pm, it is a great spot for windsurfers as well as the wind loves to blow gale force plenty of times, Port Elizabeth is one of the windiest cities if not the windiest in the world. The NE and SW are both constant, with the low pressure being the SW and the high pressure being the NE.
How to get there
Transport |
Car |
Access
|
Short walk |
Fly to Port Elizabeth Airport. Only 15min drive north on N2, take exit Bluewater bay. Cheap car rental possible.
Extra information
Lovely, no fees, nothing, just take care with the offshore wind, and also the sharks, but I`ve been kitesurfing and windsurfing here for 10 years, they are very relaxed.
Nightlife
Pretty pumping in Port Elizabeth, with 2 universities and the pubs mostly busy all week. Must see: Toby Joe`s, Barneys, Beach front pubs, sport pubs.