Cape Death, South Africa
Also within 20 km of Strandfontein
- Strandfontein beachbreak Surf spot · 0.6 km from Strandfontein
- Strandfontein Kite spot · 0.9 km from Strandfontein
- Doring Bay Surf spot · 6.9 km from Strandfontein
- Doringbaai Kite spot · 7.2 km from Strandfontein
- Olifants Rivermouth Surf spot · 8.1 km from Strandfontein
- Donkin Bay Surf spot · 19.9 km from Strandfontein
Watch this spot We email you when Cape Death is worth the trip.
About Cape Death
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (241°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (61°). 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 steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 17). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 13°C in June, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 17°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April, May and June, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Strandfontein.
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
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Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Strandfontein, 15 km (about 30 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Cape Death: plan on the drive each day you surf.
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 Strandfontein, 15 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Strandfontein 26 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 3 places to stay · where Cape Death stays
Places to stay in Strandfontein · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Strandfontein · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Strandfontein · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Cape Death on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Cape Death does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 19Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft9 scrumbling | 681kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 5 knots | 14°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 31, poor | 5 ft8 scrumbling | 313kJ | offshorewind from the east, 3 knots, offshore | 14°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 5, poor | 5 ft10 smushy | 499kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 13 knots | 16°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft8 smushy | 434kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 7 knots | 15°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 4, poor | 5 ft9 smushy | 404kJ | wind from the south, 14 knots | 16°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 33, poor | 4 ft8 shollow | 216kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 5 knots | 18°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 13, too small | 2 ft8 shollow | 67kJ | wind from the south, 10 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 35, poor | 4 ft5 smushy | 82kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 2 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 32, poor | 3 ft8 shollow | 102kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 8 knots | 15°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
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 Tue 20 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Tue 20 OctTravel out
No way there we can work out.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 21 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 18 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Cape Death
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 22 of 80.
- Mon 26 OctTravel home
No way there we can work out.
Places to eat near Strandfontein
- Kommetjie Restaurant0.2 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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Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.