Date: December 1 – 9
Rideable days: 7 out of 9
Wind: 20 – 40 knots
Air temp: 27˚C
Water temp: 15˚C
What I liked about Cape Town
- You’re surrounded by beautiful nature (fun for both a drive and a hike)
- Lots of sightseeing and excursions available on non-windy days
- Great food and wine culture – and it’s cheap (if you earn £/€/$)
- Homespun in Blouberg in particular. Exquisite fine dining
- Lots of spots and varied riding available
- Combination of beach and city life to keep things interesting
What I didn’t like about Cape Town
- The safety concerns
- Traffic during rush hour
It had to be done. I’d been to so many kite spots around the world and I still hadn’t been to Cape Town – one of the most iconic destinations and widely recognised as world-class. Was I missing out? Big air spots isn’t normally what I go for, and this is what Cape Town is most famous for, much thanks to the big air event held there annually by Red Bull: King of the air. This large spectacle just so happened to run while I was there, so not only did I get to experience an iconic kite spot, I also got to observe first-hand the largest kitesurf event on the planet.
So, when my friend Lisa (whom I met in Dakhla) told me she was going with a group of friends, I jumped on the opportunity. This was my chance to check it out for myself, and get a well needed escape from a dark and wet Brighton.
The Cape Town I found was so much more than just a kite spot. This is a place you could consider living in – and many kitesurfers do make it their home, at least for the windy season. Cape Town has a lot going for it. Read on and learn more about this magical, yet sadly divided place.
Cape Town’s wind & weather in December
Cape Town is supposed to be a safe bet for wind from November to February, even into March. Having said that, as my arrival date was quickly approaching, the forecast for Blouberg was far from the yellow and reds we all love to see. Was my holiday ruined?
Expect to travel for the wind
I’m from the UK South coast. If it’s windy in Brighton, it’s safe to assume that it’ll also be windy one hour up and down the coast. The same weather system is hitting all of the coast. Around Cape Town this isn’t true, and I had a much better holiday thanks to this. We were staying in Bloubergstrand, and if it would’ve been windy here every day we probably would’ve stayed put and enjoyed big air riding for a week. But during my nine-day stay, it was only windy here for three days. Luckily, my travel group knew where to find wind up and down the coast, so I simply tagged along to wherever they went, piggybacking on their local knowledge. In the end I got five days of kiting, but if I would’ve pushed it and accepted a bit more driving I could’ve done seven.
Many spots here rely on local weather systems like thermals and venturi effects. This means that there might be wind even when the forecast doesn’t look that way. This also means that you’re likely to find wind somewhere in the region almost daily during the South African summer months of November to February. Just be prepared and willing to drive up to two hours to find it. This, by the way, seems to be the local custom. Everyone here checks the forecast, knows the spots, and goes where there is wind; I’d see the the same people on the beach regardless the beach – so if you think you can beat the crowd by going somewhere else, probably think again.
Temperatures
The air is warm and the sun is strong. Use plenty of sun screen. Part from a couple of days with overcast and rain, the weather was sunny and around 25-28 degrees C. In the evenings it cools down, so long trousers and a jumper will be needed. The sea is cool, and you’ll need a wetsuit unless you only ride in the shallow lagoon spots. Expect around 15 degrees C, which is similar to UK summer sea temperatures. I used a 5/4 mm wetsuit, because that’s what I’ve got, but I assume a 4/3 would’ve been ideal.
The kite spots
South Africa’s Western Cape is scattered with kitesurf post, most of them being ocean spots with swell to satisfy even the most discerning surfers. Blouberg’s Dolphin beach and Kite beach are such spots, but the waves are so fast that they’re hard to paddle into. They’re superb for when you have a kite in your hand though. This is the most popular area for kitesurfers, and so it was my base for my stay. But I also visited two other popular spots, which I describe below. This was just scratching the surface though. With more time, one can visit spots both up and down the coast. But for a first time in South Africa, I got a good, well-rounded introduction with these three spots.
Blouberg
Blouberg is a suburban area just North of Cape Town. It consists of Bloubergstrand, Big Bay and Table View. It’s what most of us associate Cape Town kitesurfing with and has the iconic backdrop of Cape Town, large container ships and Table Mountain. This is where Red Bull runs their KOTA event, specifically at Kite beach, and it’s an intense spot for advanced riders primarily, due to the number of kites in the air, the strong wind and the large waves. If you’re up for these conditions you’ll have a swell time (pun intended).
I was out here on two occasions, of which one was pretty early in the day and mediocre. Wind here normally gets going in the afternoon and builds up to really strong forces into sunset and beyond. This is typically indicated by the ‘table cloth’, the cloud that sits on top of Table mountain. If the table cloth is there, there is good wind. You can also have wind in the morning but usually it dips around midday, might swing a bit offshore, and then come back in it’s typical South Easterly direction, which is side shore.
Side shore and massive waves which break clean can only mean one thing for ‘regular’ riders: Massive boost! This is what Blouberg is known for, although I saw a number of brave kiters out on directionals too. Brave because these waves aren’t for the faint hearted. They come at you with huge force, and if you miss-time a clearance and get gulped up by one, you’re in for a tumble. Don’t panic, keep your kite in the air and try not to swallow too much sea water.
There are a number of spots where you can park for free and launch your kite. Dolphin beach and Kite beach are popular. Big bay used to be popular too, and is still good for a surf. Erosion has taken a large part of the beach there and it’s said to be a bit gusty. But it’s right in front of a community, so you’ll have plenty of shops and restaurants if this is where you want to stay.
Langebaan
Another spot that is mentioned a lot is Langebaan. This lagoon spot is about 1.5h drive North of Cape Town, but couldn’t be further away from Blouberg in terms of conditions. This is where you should go if you’re new to the sport. It’s still windy, albeit maybe a bit less than Blouberg – but instead of 10ft waves you get a massive lagoon with shallow to deep warm water and no need for a wetsuit.
Langebaan is a resort town where you can stay, right in front of the beach even. It’s got everything you need to make this your base, but if there is no wind you’re quite far away from other spots and everything else. It’s got two spots: Langebaan beach, and Shark bay. Shark bay is the spot with the large shallow water lagoon. Apparently it’s tide dependant, so some days it might be too shallow here and it’s a few knots less wind than Langebaan beach. It’s a quick drive from Langebaan town.
The spot in Langebaan didn’t look too special from what I could tell, but there are two great off-shore spots you can access, either just around the corner from Langebaan beach (upwind of Kokomo beach bar), or behind Schaapen island. Off-shore is always a bit nerve wrecking, but in this case you’ll drift into a Saldanha bay rather than out to sea, should your kite not relaunch.
Hermanus
Finally, the lovely Hermanus. Drive just under two hours East and you find this sleepy seaside resort popular with whale watching tourists, retirees and kitesurfers (maybe it’s the Santa Cruz of Western Cape). At Grotto beach you can fill your boots with both ocean swell and butter flat river mouth riding. There’s free parking, toilets and showers right on the spot. In town you’ll find a number of great restaurants and bars. It’s a true little gem, really. Like I said to Lisa and Matthias: Hermanus is a place to fall in love in. It has that romantic and sheltered teenage summer love air about it. When we saw that there was no wind in Blouberg we rented an Airbnb place for one night and got two good days out of Hermanus.
Getting around Cape Town
Getting around is a must when in Cape Town. There’s too much to enjoy to just sit tight in one spot during your whole stay, especially if you’re there for more than a week. Renting a car is probably the best option if you have even the slightest plans to move around the area. It’s cheap and the roads are well maintained. Traffic isn’t bad either unless you time it with rush hour. In the mornings and evenings when people go to and from work you can expect major congestion on the roads in and out of Cape Town, so do avoid these times. If you’re comfortable driving on the left side of the road I’d recommend picking up a car at the airport.
As a safety measure, it’s recommended to lock the doors when stopping for red signals, and never leave anything of value visible in your car when it’s parked. Apparently people get their car broken into all the time, despite many parkings being guarded – here’s another tip – carry cash in 10 and 20 Rand notes to have readily available to the parking guards. It’s optional, but good practise to tip them.
You could get away without renting a car if you have to. Uber is so accessible and cheap here that you could rely on this. From the airport to Blouberg it’d be around £10, and similarly £10 into town. For the spots further away it might be a bit pricey for a day trip, but the option is still there. Buses also run around town and the suburbs, which could be a an option for people on a tight budget.
Where to stay for the best kitesurfing in Cape Town
There’s good kiting to be had all over the region, but what we did, and I assume many others as well, is to make Blouberg the base. From here you have about equal distance to Langebaan and Hermanus, and you’re also not far away from the spots on the cape, like Witsand. We stayed in Dolphin beach hotel, which has direct access to the beach. lf you’re looking for more beginner friendly spots, you could make Langebaan or Hermanus your base. But personally I think Cape Town is better suited for confident riders who can enjoy all it has to offer. Staying in Cape Town could also be an option if you’re looking for city life with a bit of beach on the side.
Final thoughts
I loved simply driving around, soaking up the scenery in and around Cape Town. There’s vineyards, stunning coastal drives, wildlife, container cranes (I like those), palm trees (like those too), luxury villas… But there’s also extreme poverty, tin sheet shanty towns and a high crime rate. This contrast was hard for me to deal with emotionally. The city is heavily segregated between rich and poor, and the correlation between wealth and skin colour is blatantly obvious.
I don’t hide from the fact that I’m extremely privileged to take a direct flight to Cape Town, enjoy a more than favourable conversion rate and savour everything the region has to offer while not even struggling with a foreign language. I’m humbled and I’m amazed that this treasure trove on the other side of the planet is there for me, in particular during the darkest and coldest months in Europe. I can’t see how I wouldn’t be back in the future.
