Surf spot

Stokes Bay

Forecast conditions and map view for Stokes Bay in Australia, SA, Kangeroo Island. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Australia, SA, Kangeroo Island
Coordinates: -35.6213, 137.2088

Metric
Metric	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00
Wave height (m)	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.8	1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1	1.1	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Wave direction	WSW	W	NW	WSW	WSW	W	WNW	WNW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	W	NW	WNW	WNW	W
Wave period (s)	12.6	10	7	12.8	12.1	10.3	5.3	5.3	5.3	6.7	8.4	6.3	8.3	8	7.3	7.2	7.4	7.9	9.3	9.8	10.2	10.3	10.4	10.6	10.7	10.8	10.8	11	11	11	11	10.9	10.8	10.8	10.6	10.5	10.4	10.3	10.3	10.3	10.4	10.3	9.8	10.6	11.4	11.5	11.6	11.6	11.9	12	10.9	7.5	5	6.3	7	7.5
Wave energy (kJ)	113	77	45	109	91	104	48	40	34	48	90	78	171	149	127	125	114	140	241	298	338	351	347	331	316	311	295	282	262	242	214	194	166	141	116	96	78	62	53	45	39	30	22	26	34	34	31	27	33	29	22	16	14	21	23	23
Wind speed (km/h)	15.6	14.4	18.9	23.2	27.1	22.1	11.3	10.1	9.2	8.9	8.7	14.5	19.5	18.5	10.6	12.4	16.3	14.2	11.5	20.9	21.6	22.1	9.7	9	9.7	9.3	8.7	15.6	18.5	17.5	10.8	9.7	7.1	7.8	6.7	13	11.6	5.1	2.8	5.5	8.8	8.7	11.2	18.1	20.4	12	4.8	6.6	7.9	10.9	14.8	23.1	24.6	18	17.7	22.9
Wind direction	NNECross-on	NCross-on	NCross-on	WNWOnshore	WCross-on	WCross-on	WSWCross-on	WCross-on	WCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WCross-on	WCross-on	WCross-on	WSWCross-on	SSWCross-off	SSWCross-off	SCross-off	SCross-off	SCross-off	SCross-off	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	ESECross-off	NECross	NNECross-on	NCross-on	SWGlassy	ENECross-off	NNECross-on	NCross-on	NCross-on	NNWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NNWGlassy	NNECross-on	NNECross-on	NCross-on	NNWOnshore	NNWOnshore	NOnshore	NCross-on	NNECross-on	NNWOnshore

Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Stokes Bay is a beautiful, sheltered surf and swim spot on the north coast of Kangaroo Island, near the town of Snelling Beach. It’s known for its unusual entrance through rock pools and a narrow cave-like passage that opens up to a secluded sandy bay.

Surf conditions

Wave type: Beach break with some reef influence
Best swell: Smaller to medium swells
Wind: Best in light offshore or calm conditions
Skill level: More suited to beginners and intermediate surfers, depending on the size and shape of the swell
Crowds: Usually less crowded than mainland breaks, though it can be popular in good conditions

What it’s like

Stokes Bay tends to offer relatively protected waves compared with more exposed Kangaroo Island surf spots. The wave quality can vary a lot with sand movement and swell direction, but when it’s on, it can provide fun, manageable surf rather than heavy, powerful waves.

Things to know

Access is part of the adventure: you walk through the famous rock labyrinth to reach the beach.
Conditions can change quickly with tides and swell.
It’s also a popular family-friendly beach, so surf etiquette matters.
Always check local reports before heading out, as the bay can be inconsistent.