Going surfing in Coffee Bay

One of the very popular activities to do when young international backpackers visit Coffee Bay is to learn to surf.  Most of the backpacker lodges in the area offer surf lessons and there is always somebody walking around with a surfboard either heading for the waves or out of it.  This young lady just finished her surf and was making her way back to where her friends were waiting for her. Now surfing is something I have never tried and something that is still on my bucket list.  Perhaps next time I visit Coffee Bay...

A quick stop at Supertubes in Jbay

A week or so ago I attended the Kouga Baviaans Surf and Safari Marketing Association's AGM in Jeffreys Bay.  It was a perfect winters day and I decided to make a stop at Supertubes before heading back to Port Elizabeth.

A deserted beach that was packed during the Jbay Open just a few weeks ago

Enjoying one of the best right hand point breaks in the world

Aloes on the coastline at Lower Point

Enjoying the view at Bruce's Beauties

There are some really tranquil spots along the Jeffreys Bay and St Francis coastline where one can sit and take in a view of the ocean.  Passing through St Francis Bay I had an hour or so before a meeting and decided to grab a couple of Geocaches.  One of the caches was located close to the legendary surf spot, Bruce's Beauties where I found this young lady taking a break on a bench overlooking Bruce's.  The sea was fairly calm so there weren't any surfers out there on this specific day. 

 

So how did Bruce's Beauties get its name, you ask?

 

In the 1960's, surfing film pioneer Bruce Brown hunted the world's perfect surf spots for the cult film classic ' The Endless Summer'.  He wanted to find the "Perfect Wave" and at St Francis he did.  The spot became known as Bruce's Beauties and is renown as a surf spot for the fearless.  This exposed point breakis seen as an ultimate wave ride.  Unfortunately due to development along the coastline the break isn't what it used to be but two or three times a year the conditions are just right and then you know this is the place to be if you own a surf board.

Supertubes on a calm day

Jeffreys Bay is famous as a surf destination and one of the reasons is Supertubes.  Supertubes is said to be the best right hand point breaks in the entire world both in consistency and quality.  Generally Supertubes break for about 300m or more but if conditions are right and the surf is big enough then it links up with the surrounding surf spots and result in a ride of about a kilometer in length.  I'm not a surfer and have never had the opportunity to try it, but I enjoy scenic views so on my last visit to JBay I stopped by the Supertubes view site.  It was a beautiful day although not one with big surf.