Rocky Bay, South Africa
Also within 20 km of Scottburgh
- Scottburgh Surf spot · 0.1 km from Scottburgh
- Black Rock Surf spot · 2.3 km from Scottburgh
- Green Point Surf spot · 4.8 km from Scottburgh
- Donkey Kong Island Surf spot · 5.6 km from Scottburgh
- Happy Wanderers Surf spot · 8.4 km from Scottburgh
- Vulamanzi Point Surf spot · 8.7 km from Scottburgh
- Pennington Surf spot · 10.4 km from Scottburgh
- Ifafa Pipes Surf spot · 17.3 km from Scottburgh
Watch this spot We email you when Rocky Bay is worth the trip.
About Rocky Bay
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SE (116°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (296°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 48). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 21°C in August, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 27°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually May, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Scottburgh, 5.8 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots.
Water about 22°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 31 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to King Shaka International Airport (DUR), changing at İstanbul Airport (IST).
See flights ORD → DUR · Skyscanner from about £800 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 50 from the airport to Rocky Bay.
Accommodation.
Stay in ScottburghAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Scottburgh (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Scottburgh 10 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 27 places to stay · where Rocky Bay stays
Places to stay in Scottburgh · Booking.com AdUmkomaas 27 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 20 places to stay
Places to stay in Umkomaas · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Scottburgh · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Scottburgh · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Rocky Bay on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 23, too small | 4 ft6 smushy | 105kJ | wind from the north-east, 3 knots | 25°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 13, too small | 4 ft8 ssoft | 190kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 9 knots | 24°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 39, fair | 8 ft8 smushy | 645kJ | wind from the south-west, 11 knots | 21°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 19, too small | 3 ft8 smushy | 132kJ | wind from the north, 7 knots | 25°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 22, too small | 4 ft9 ssoft | 244kJ | wind from the south, 4 knots | 23°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 18, too small | 6 ft6 smushy | 232kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 8 knots | 22°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 13, too small | 5 ft8 smushy | 265kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 10 knots | 22°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 17, too small | 4 ft6 smushy | 97kJ | wind from the east, 1 knot | 25°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 8, too small | 3 ft7 smushy | 69kJ | wind from the south-west, 14 knots | 25°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 19, too small | 6 ft6 smushy | 227kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 7 knots | 20°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to DUR, changing at IST, then 1h 50 by road. About 31h 15 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Donkey Kong Island
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 8 ft at 8 s, wind 11 kn (20 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 31 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 30 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to DUR, changing at IST, then 1h 50 by road. About 31h 15 door to door
The plan picks the best of 7 spots near Scottburgh each day: Black Rock, Donkey Kong Island, Happy Wanderers, Pennington, Rocky Bay, Scottburgh, Vulamanzi Point.
Rough cost
About £1,160–£2,290 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to DUR, estimated from distance and season, changing at IST, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £800–£1,665 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £50–£85 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £110–£185 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £115–£210 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £50–£80 |
| Total | £1,160–£2,290 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Scottburgh
- Nando'sChicken · 0.2 km from the centre
- Enzo'sItalian · 0.4 km from the centre
- Scotties Coffee ShopBreakfast and brunch · 0.5 km from the centre
- John Dory'sSeafood · 0.7 km from the centre
- Atlanta SpurSteakhouse · 1.6 km from the centre
- Debonairs Pizza Scottburgh MallPizza · 1.6 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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Where to stayAd
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