Is Gerickes back reef good for beginners?

Gerickes back reef is rated Advanced: the median wave is 2.1 m and 1% of days are mellow (0.4 to 1.2 m).

How warm is the water at Gerickes back reef?

The yearly mean sea temperature is 19°C, so most of the year you want a 3/2 wetsuit.

World › South Africa › Western Cape › Gerickes back reef

Gerickes back reef 52.6

#4262 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇿🇦 South Africa · Western Cape · near Knysna

Works almost every day, wind is the enemy here, no off season.

Works all yearBig waveRemoteAdvanced

Surf score52.6 /100

Surfable days97% of the year

Clean days0% groundswell + friendly wind

Groundswell0% period 11 s+

Typical size2.1 m 7.1 ft median

Water19°C a 3/2 wetsuit

Best time to surf Gerickes back reef

It rarely works. The nearest airport is PLZ (263 km) and the nearest town is Knysna (25 km).

Month	Surfable	Clean	Size	Water	Suit
Jan	100%	0%	2.0 m	22°C	vest
Feb	100%	0%	2.0 m	22°C	vest
Mar	100%	0%	1.9 m	20°C	2mm
Apr	99%	0%	2.1 m	19°C	2mm
May	97%	0%	2.2 m	17°C	3/2
Jun	95%	0%	2.3 m	16°C	3/2
Jul	90%	0%	2.5 m	17°C	3/2
Aug	93%	0%	2.7 m	16°C	4/3
Sep	97%	0%	2.3 m	17°C	3/2
Oct	97%	0%	2.3 m	18°C	3/2
Nov	100%	0%	2.0 m	19°C	2mm
Dec	100%	0%	2.0 m	21°C	2mm

Why 52.6

Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.

Consistency 26%

26.0

Clean days 24%

0.0

Groundswell 12%

0.0

Season spread 10%

10.0

Wave size 8%

6.9

Water comfort 10%

4.0

Access 10%

4.3

The detail

Faces 181° with 47% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 62% of days. Mean peak period 8.0 s. Days over 3 m: 14%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 1%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -34.036, 22.758 (OpenStreetMap).

Spots nearby

Gerickes Point (Left)🇿🇦 South Africa · score 52.6 Swartvlei Beach🇿🇦 South Africa · score 52.6 Swartvlei (Rivermouth)🇿🇦 South Africa · score 51.6 Wilderness Beach🇿🇦 South Africa · score 89.1

Compare Gerickes back reef with 5,700 other spots
Filters by month, level and water, map, side by side comparison and a trip planner.

Open the interactive profile