About

Watch out for the ships going in and out, and know what the tide is doing before you paddle across the channel. Paddle into the current to avoid being swept back into the lagoon or worse, out to sea. This is a must-surf wave for anyone in or around the Garden Route!

Atmosphere:
Great A-Frame wave in a picturesque setting! The right is longer, faster and more powerful than the left, and drops you off in the channel, which sucks you back out to the top of the wave and makes for easy paddling. This wave is a shorter drive and often holds better waves than nearby Buffels Baai, with none of the crowds. But bring some guts; the water is deep and murky.

Additional Info:
There is actually a surf spot just inside the Knysna Heads, believe it or not. A small group of locals ride it quite often. With a solid swell running outside the cliffs, the sand bars here gladly accept fun and hollow 3'-4' waves but it has been surfed big. The fun is tempered with the knowledge that you have to paddle all the way across the channel to the other side, often when the tide is pushing in through the heads. Incidentally, the Knysna Heads are only one of two places in the world where vessels won't by insured by Lloyds shipping agents. This adds a bit more spice to a daring dash across the channel.

Location

Access

Drive to the main parking lot at The Knysna Heads. Jump off the rocks at the lighthouse and paddle directly across the channel.

Wave Characteristics

Ideal Conditions

Crowd

Dangers

Rips / undertow, Rocks, Man-made danger (buoys etc..), Sharks

Videos

None