Cape St Francis
Cape St Francis is where the endless summer dream began—the right-hand point break immortalized by Bruce Brown's iconic 1966 film that launched the global surf travel movement. While the wave rarely reaches the perfection of those legendary frames, when conditions align, it still delivers long, reeling walls along the rocky point with the same magic that captivated audiences worldwide. The Bruce's Beauties section on bigger swells offers the most defined waves, and the surrounding coastline is dotted with additional breaks worth exploring. This is hallowed ground for surf history.
Cape St Francis surf forecast
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
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Spot Details
CustomizeCustomize this spotSwell Requirements
- Optimal direction
- S (180°)
- Direction range
- 150° - 210°
- Size range
- 0.8m - 2.5m
- Ideal size
- 1.6m - 2.1m
- Height multiplier
- 0.97×
- Ideal period
- 14s+
Wind Requirements
- Optimal direction
- WNW (300°)
- Offshore range
- 260° - 340°
Tide Requirements
- Optimal tide
- mid
- Optimal range
- 0.5m - 1.8m
Water temp
17°C
Wetsuit
3/2mm fullsuit
Difficulty
5/10
Crowd level
3/10
Access: Beach access from town.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of wave is Cape St Francis?
Cape St Francis is a point break in Eastern Cape, South Africa, that mostly breaks right.
What swell works best at Cape St Francis?
Cape St Francis picks up swell from the SSE round to the SSW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the S. It starts working at around 0.8m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.6 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.
What wind is offshore at Cape St Francis?
A WNW wind is dead offshore at Cape St Francis, and anything from the W round to the NNW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.
What tide is best at Cape St Francis?
Cape St Francis is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.5m to 1.8m on the local chart.
When is the best time of year to surf Cape St Francis?
The most reliable run of swell at Cape St Francis comes Apr to Sep. There's a second window in Mar and Oct too. Autumn-Winter. Indian Ocean swells.
How cold is the water at Cape St Francis?
The water at Cape St Francis averages around 17°C, so you'll want a 3/2mm fullsuit. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.
Is Cape St Francis good for beginners?
It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. The lineup is usually quiet (crowd 3/10). Shark activity. Rocky sections.
How do I get to Cape St Francis?
The nearest airport on our list is PLZ, then it's roughly a 1.5-hour drive. Beach access from town.
What other surf spots are near Cape St Francis?
The closest breaks we track are Seal Point (1.2 km), Bruce's Beauties (21 km) and Jeffreys Bay (21 km), handy when Cape St Francis isn't working. Fun fact: it's the third most southerly break we track in South Africa.
Best Season
Peak: Apr-Sep
Secondary: Mar, Oct
Autumn-Winter. Indian Ocean swells.
Getting There
🤙 Strike Specialist
Nearby Spots
Seal Point
🎬 Endless Summer coast • Surf history icon • Long rights
Bruce's Beauties
🎬 Endless Summer legend • Rarely perfect • Original pilgrimage
Jeffreys Bay
🇿🇦 World's best right • Supertubes to Impossibles • Winter offshore perfection
Plettenberg Wedge
Plett wedge • Bodyboard-friendly peaks • Shifting sand setup
Buffalo Bay
🌊 Protected Knysna cove • Slow right off Walker Point • Beginner heaven
Plan a trip around Cape St Francis
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