St Francis Bay is a relaxed holiday town of thatched white houses and canals, a short drive west of Jeffreys Bay. Hullets Reef, right in town, is its go-to wave: a fairly consistent, forgiving reef that picks up southeasterly swell and cleans up in southwest winds. It's a friendly, uncrowded alternative to the J-Bay points, best for intermediates and up, with longboarders and improvers making the most of smaller days.
🌡️ ~17.4°C now · a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional
Beginner: not suitable for this level
Intermediate: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Advanced: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
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New spots, best-month tips and the local crews at St Francis Bay (Hullets). Tag us in your clips and we'll share them.
Beginner: not suitable for this level
Intermediate: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Advanced: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
All-time average wind & swell
Dashed line marks St Francis Bay (Hullets)'s known offshore direction. Bright arrow is the all-time average swell direction, colored arrow is the all-time average wind direction at 17 km/h — hover or tap either arrow for exact values.
Monthly avg wave height (ft)
Monthly avg wind speed (km/h)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 20° | 20° | 19° | 18° | 18° | 16° | 16° | 17° | 17° | 17° | 19° | 20° |
Averages from 3 years of daily wave, wind and water temperature data — what a typical year looks like, not a forecast.
Waves average 6.7 ft (2.0 m), with cross-offshore winds around 17 km/h from the S. Water is ~20°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 7.2 ft (2.2 m), with offshore winds around 17 km/h from the S. Water is ~20°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 7.4 ft (2.3 m), with offshore winds around 17 km/h from the SW. Water is ~19°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 8.0 ft (2.4 m), with cross-offshore winds around 16 km/h from the NW. Water is ~18°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates and advanced surfers.
Waves average 8.9 ft (2.7 m), with cross-offshore winds around 15 km/h from the NW. Water is ~18°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 10.2 ft (3.1 m), with cross-offshore winds around 17 km/h from the NW. Water is ~16°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 10.5 ft (3.2 m), with cross-offshore winds around 18 km/h from the NW. Water is ~16°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 10.3 ft (3.1 m), with cross-offshore winds around 18 km/h from the NW. Water is ~17°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 9.7 ft (3.0 m), with cross-offshore winds around 18 km/h from the W. Water is ~17°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 8.1 ft (2.5 m), with cross-offshore winds around 19 km/h from the SE. Water is ~17°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for intermediates and advanced surfers.
Waves average 7.4 ft (2.2 m), with offshore winds around 17 km/h from the S. Water is ~19°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 7.3 ft (2.2 m), with offshore winds around 17 km/h from the S. Water is ~20°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates.
For intermediates: Oct–Apr. For advanced surfers: Apr–Oct. The biggest waves come in July, averaging 10.5 ft (3.2 m), and the smallest in January, at 6.7 ft (2.0 m).
It ranges from ~16°C in July to ~20°C in January, averaged over 3 years of daily readings.
In July (~16°C): a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. In January (~20°C): a 2mm spring suit / shorty.
Not really: St Francis Bay (Hullets) is best suited to intermediate and advanced surfers.
The nearest airport is PLZ, and the nearest town is St Francis Bay, South Africa.
