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Moonlight Bay 82.8
#1610 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇿🇦 South Africa · Western Cape · near Hermanus
Works almost every day, no off season, real size comes through.
Works all yearBig waveAdvanced
Surf score82.8 /100
Surfable days94% of the year
Clean days22% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell65% period 11 s+
Typical size2.4 m 8.0 ft median
Water17°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Moonlight Bay
The best time to surf Moonlight Bay is May, June, August. The season runs May to Jun. In May the water sits around 16°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 2.5 m. The nearest airport is CPT (50 km) and the nearest town is Hermanus (37 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 97% | 7% | 2.2 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Feb | 100% | 8% | 2.1 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Mar | 99% | 15% | 2.1 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 99% | 18% | 2.4 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| May | 92% | 53% | 2.5 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 81% | 45% | 2.8 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| Jul | 84% | 32% | 3.0 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| Aug | 85% | 33% | 2.9 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Sep | 95% | 19% | 2.6 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| Oct | 95% | 16% | 2.5 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Nov | 99% | 20% | 2.3 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 100% | 7% | 2.2 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
Why 82.8
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%
12.9
Groundswell 12%
12.0
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
8.0
Water comfort 10%
3.0
Access 10%
8.8
The detail
Faces 200° with 69% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 34% of days. Mean peak period 11.8 s. Days over 3 m: 23%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 0%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -34.380, 18.826 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
Pringle Bay🇿🇦 South Africa · score 93.4Penguins🇿🇦 South Africa · score 93.7Betty's Bay🇿🇦 South Africa · score 93.6Jerilotto🇿🇦 South Africa · score 93.7
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