Surf spot

Boneyards

Forecast conditions and map view for Boneyards in South Africa, South J Bay. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: South Africa, South J Bay
Coordinates: -34.0345, 24.9344

Metric
Metric	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	15:00	18:00	21:00
Wave height (m)	2	1.8	2	2.3	2.1	2.2	2.7	2.7	2.6	2.5	2.3	2.1	1.9	1.8	1.7	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.1	1	1.1	1.2	1.4	1.4	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.8	1.9	2.2	1.9	1.6	1.4	1	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.5	1.6	1.2	0.9	1.5	2	2.3	2.7	2.7	2.8	3.2	3.1	2.9
Wave direction	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	SSW	S	S	S	S	S	S	SSW	SSE	SE	SSE	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE
Wave period (s)	6.8	8.8	8.7	7.1	7.4	7.8	7.4	7	7.3	7.4	7.5	7.5	7.5	7.5	7.5	7.4	7.5	7.6	7.7	7.8	7.8	7.7	7.6	7.5	7.5	8	8.8	8.3	8.3	7.5	7.7	9.2	8	8.8	7.9	8.6	8.3	8.2	9.6	7.2	6.8	7.2	7.5	7.5	6.8	8.3	9.7	9.4	9.3	9.1	8.8	8.9	9.1	8.4	8.4	8.4
Wave energy (kJ)	368	530	618	515	492	603	775	735	732	695	577	490	412	361	325	273	240	220	210	199	187	171	155	138	123	142	235	270	267	250	274	338	428	564	604	523	362	249	199	178	147	173	196	257	234	183	158	419	698	846	1083	1203	1336	1409	1355	1201
Wind speed (km/h)	33.7	30.4	32.3	35.4	26.8	24	28.6	12.6	7.4	15.2	14.5	12.2	23.8	25.3	16.2	11.3	9.8	9.3	4.8	13.2	19.7	10.8	2.9	7.9	23.8	22.2	14.8	19.1	11.2	20.4	13.8	2.5	1.8	9.4	11.8	18	20.4	21.1	17.7	12.1	12.3	13.6	5.5	15	21	19	14	20.8	22.1	16.7	20.5	23.7	26.8	25.2	13.3	6.7
Wind direction	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	EBlown out	EOnshore	EOnshore	ENECross-on	ENECross-on	NNECross	NCross-off	NCross-off	NECross-on	WOffshore	WOffshore	WOffshore	WNWOffshore	SWCross-off	SWCross-off	NNWGlassy	WSWCross-off	SCross-on	SCross-on	NGlassy	WSWCross-off	WSWCross-off	SWCross-off	SWCross-off	SSECross-on	SCross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	NGlassy	EGlassy	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	EOnshore	SEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ECross-on	ENECross-on	SEOnshore	ESEOnshore	SEOnshore	SEOnshore	SEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ENECross-on	NNECross

Boneyards is a well-known surf spot in South Africa’s Jeffreys Bay (J-Bay), Eastern Cape—specifically on the south side of the bay. It’s part of the broader J-Bay reef system, famous for long, fast, high-performance right-hand point waves.

Quick description

Wave type: Fast, hollow right-hand point break
Bottom: Mainly reef/rock
Best for: Experienced surfers, especially those comfortable with steep takeoffs and powerful sections
Direction: Works on south swells and often gets good shape with offshore winds from the northwest

What it’s like

Boneyards is one of the more intense and serious waves in the J-Bay area. It tends to produce critical drops, sharp sections, and very high-speed walls, making it a wave that rewards strong rail work and confident positioning. When it’s on, it can connect into long rides, but it’s less forgiving than many nearby waves.

Conditions

Swells: Best with solid south to southwest swell
Wind: Northwest/offshore is ideal
Tide: Can vary, but mid to higher tides often help manage the reef and shape
Crowd: Can be crowded when conditions are good, especially with local surfers and advanced visitors

Hazards

Shallow reef/rock
Strong currents
Heavy wipeouts
Localism can be present at better J-Bay breaks

Overall

Boneyards is a classic, powerful J-Bay reef break that suits surfers looking for a fast, technical, and committing wave rather than an easy cruisy session.