Seal Point • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (May - August)

The heart of winter is when Seal Point turns into a proper big-wave set-up. As the South Atlantic high drifts north and a train of cold fronts and mid-latitude cyclones passes below the continent, the Southern Ocean fires long-period groundswell into the Cape. Average wave heights peak at 10ft (3.1m) with periods around 12.5s, and the percentage of clean W/WNW/NW/NNW offshore wind reaches 31-37 percent. The dominant swell direction is SSW/SW for much of this window, so the electric sessions come when the energy shifts into the SSE/SE quadrant and the westerly wind lays it all out. If you are chasing consistent size and power, this is the season.

Fair Surf Season (March - April, September - October)

The shoulder months are a rewarding mix of Southern Ocean groundswell and early or late easterly swell. March and April see the first true winter pulses, with average size climbing from 8ft (2.5m) to 9ft (2.7m) and periods stretching toward 12s. September and October keep a lot of that size - 9-10ft (2.7-3.0m) - but the wind starts to swing back to the summer east/northeast flow. Ideal wind ranges from 21 percent in October to 28 percent in April, so you have to read the forecast carefully and strike when the morning glass or a W/NW change lines up.

Low Surf Season (November - February)

Austral summer is the most inconsistent period for quality surf at Seal Point. The interior heat of South Africa generates a persistent E/ESE onshore flow, and ideal surf wind drops to 21-22 percent. Average swell heights still hang around 8ft (2.4-2.5m) because E, ESE, SE and SSE swells are common, but the periods shrink to 11 seconds or less and the point constantly fights windblown chop. The saving grace is dawn patrol: before the seabreeze builds, those same E/ESE swells can be clean and rippable, and the occasional NW berg wind makes summer one of the more underrated windows for uncrowded waves.