Seal Point
Seal Point is the right-hand point at Cape St. Francis, the stretch of coast featured in Bruce Brown's The Endless Summer (1966). It sits below the Seal Point Lighthouse and picks up swell year round from the low-pressure systems between Antarctica and Africa. On days when everything aligns, it delivers long, quality walls. A pilgrimage site for surf history buffs.
Seal Point surf forecast
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions
Find FlightsLocation & Conditions
Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows
Tide times today
Strike Score Breakdown
Plan Your Strike
Return flights to PLZ, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
Search Flights on SkyscannerLocation & Conditions
Know when Africa is about to fire
Get the best strike windows in Africa — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.
Get the full Seal Point trip window
Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.
10-day window
See the trip window before flights get expensive.
Unlimited alerts
Let the app watch your score threshold for you.
Custom spots
Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.
Spot Details
CustomizeCustomize this spotSwell Requirements
- Optimal direction
- SSE (160°)
- Direction range
- 130° - 200°
- Size range
- 0.9m - 3m
- Ideal size
- 1.8m - 2.5m
- Height multiplier
- 0.97×
- Ideal period
- 14s+
Wind Requirements
- Optimal direction
- NW (315°)
- Offshore range
- 270° - 360°
Tide Requirements
- Optimal tide
- low to mid
Water temp
17°C
Wetsuit
3/2mm fullsuit
Difficulty
6/10
Crowd level
4/10
Access: Beach/paddle
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of wave is Seal Point?
Seal Point is a point break in Cape St. Francis, South Africa, that mostly breaks right. It's on our list of the world's 100 best waves.
What's the story behind Seal Point?
Bartolomeu Dias first named the cape Ponta das Queimadas, after the fires he saw while sailing past. The village is home to the Seal Point Lighthouse.
What swell works best at Seal Point?
Seal Point picks up swell from the SE round to the SSW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SSE. It starts working at around 0.9m and handles up to about 3m, with the sweet spot around 1.8 to 2.5m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 12s 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 Seal Point?
A NW wind is dead offshore at Seal Point, and anything from the W round to the N 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 Seal Point?
Seal Point is at its best around the low to mid tide.
When is the best time of year to surf Seal Point?
The most reliable run of swell at Seal Point comes Apr to Sep. There's a second window in Mar and Oct too. Autumn-winter. Southern Ocean swells.
How cold is the water at Seal Point?
The water at Seal Point 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 Seal Point good for beginners?
It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 6/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. Shark activity in the region.
How do I get to Seal Point?
The nearest airport on our list is PLZ, then it's roughly a 1.5-hour drive. Beach/paddle.
What other surf spots are near Seal Point?
The closest breaks we track are Cape St Francis (1.2 km), Jeffreys Bay (21 km) and Bruce's Beauties (21 km), handy when Seal Point 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. Southern Ocean swells.
Getting There
🤙 Strike Specialist
Nearby Spots
Cape St Francis
🎬 Endless Summer legend • Film that changed surfing • Pilgrimage point
Jeffreys Bay
🇿🇦 World's best right • Supertubes to Impossibles • Winter offshore perfection
Bruce's Beauties
🎬 Endless Summer legend • Rarely perfect • Original pilgrimage
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 Seal Point
Compare this break with other destinations in these surf guides.