Jeffrey’s Bay, or ‘J-Bay’ as it’s known locally, is surf central. Home to the ‘perfect wave’, this is an internationally acclaimed surfing spot and a major playground for self-respecting surf rats. In the evenings, the local bars buzz with talk of supertubes and perfect breaks. Waves can get big, sometimes as high as 3 m giving rides of over three minutes, but J-Bay is surprisingly renowned for its safety. Unsurprisingly, it attracts more than its fair share of long-term resident travellers but, away from the beach, there’s little going on in town. There are numerous surf shops selling a wide range of boards and wetsuits, as well as Billabong and Quiksilver factory outlets, but when surf’s up don’t be surprised to find many of the local businesses closed.
The origins of Jeffrey’s Bay date to 1894, when a trading post was established here by Joseph Avent Jeffrey, a whaler from the island of St Helena. The trading post received goods by sea and supplied settlers living inland in the Langkloof. Little of the original settlement remains and today Jeffrey’s Bay is a sprawl of unattractive bungalows and holiday homes. Out of season in summer, when most of the coast is at its liveliest, the resort is a quiet and desolate place and there’s little of the surfing scene or nightlife you might expect. In winter, however, when the waves are at their best, the town comes back to life. July is also when the Billabong Pro J-Bay surf competition (www.billabong pro.com) is held – with prize money amounting to US$250,000 – which draws surfers from across the globe, and the town gets packed out. This is a major surfing event, and you’ll get to see some of the best surfers in the world compete.
If you don’t have a car the J-Bay Cabs, T083-611 1003, will bring you here on request from Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth). The town is served by the Baz Bus . The nearest drop-off for the mainline buses (Greyhound and Translux) is in Humansdorp.
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