Melkbosstrand

Best Surf Season (May - August)

The South Atlantic storm track switches into overdrive through the austral autumn and winter, and Melkbosstrand feels every bit of it. Average surf heights climb from 2.3m in late summer to 2.9m by July, while average swell periods stretch out to 12.4-12.6s. The dominant energy arrives from SW and WSW, both of which line up strongly with this west-facing piece of Cape Town's Atlantic seaboard. Yes, the cold fronts that produce these waves also drag NW-W winds through the area, but in May, June and July the post-frontal clearing flow turns offshore/cross-offshore a remarkable 48-52% of the time. That combination of size, period and clean windows is what makes this the prime time to be a surfer at Melkbosstrand.