Overview

Buffelsbaai (Buffalo Bay) is a sheltered bay located between the Goukamma Reserve and Knysna. This small crescent-shaped bay offers a sandy beach with slightly calmer conditions than the open coast thanks to its bay configuration. The village of Buffalo Bay is residential with some holiday homes. It is a good compromise between exposed and protected spots on the Garden Route.

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Spot forecast for Buffelsbaai

Sunrise 05:40 · Sunset 18:45

Open-Meteo

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 3.5 km from the spot.

Tuesday 20 October Low tide 05:18 · 0.8 m High tide 12:01 · 1.4 m Low tide 18:27 · 0.8 m
Wednesday 21 October High tide 00:14 · 1.3 m Low tide 06:21 · 0.7 m High tide 12:47 · 1.5 m Low tide 19:05 · 0.7 m
Thursday 22 October High tide 01:01 · 1.5 m Low tide 07:00 · 0.6 m High tide 13:21 · 1.7 m Low tide 19:36 · 0.5 m
Friday 23 October High tide 01:37 · 1.6 m Low tide 07:34 · 0.5 m High tide 13:51 · 1.9 m Low tide 20:07 · 0.4 m
Saturday 24 October High tide 02:10 · 1.7 m Low tide 08:07 · 0.3 m High tide 14:22 · 2 m Low tide 20:39 · 0.2 m

Buffelsbaai: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

240h

in December · 29 rideable days

The season runs from September to March, peaking in December: 26 rideable days a month and 240 hours of usable wind, at 22 °C. The low point is May, at 8 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 80%13-20 knots · 19%21-30 knots · 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 80% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is July, at 17 °C. The wettest month is April, with 98 mm.

Monthly averages: Buffelsbaai

Monthly averages — Buffelsbaai — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	27.0	215 h	24 °C	53 mm
February	24.5	185 h	24 °C	53 mm
March	24.0	149 h	24 °C	38 mm
April	16.5	90 h	21 °C	98 mm
May	8.0	33 h	20 °C	19 mm
June	8.0	33 h	18 °C	78 mm
July	14.5	58 h	17 °C	44 mm
August	16.5	78 h	18 °C	19 mm
September	21.5	139 h	19 °C	56 mm
October	26.5	195 h	20 °C	80 mm
November	26.5	200 h	22 °C	56 mm
December	29.0	240 h	24 °C	37 mm

Photo gallery of Buffelsbaai

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Technical details of Buffelsbaai spot

The spot works with winds from ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW.

Rideable Not rideable

Spot functioning

The spot works with SE to SW wind. The bay offers more forgiving conditions than Goukamma or the open coast. Waves are attenuated by the bay configuration. Rideable at all tides. At low tide, the beach widens. Good intermediate spot between the committing conditions of Goukamma and the flat water of Knysna Lagoon.

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
Required level: Intermediate

On the water

Waves of 0.5-1.5 metres in the bay, less than on the open coast. Sandy bottom. Moderate chop. The bay offers relative protection from large swells. Water temperature between 17-21°C. 3/2 wetsuit in summer, 4/3 in winter.

Parking

Parking in Buffalo Bay village, access via tarred road from the N2. Small parking at the end of the road near the beach. Residential and quiet. Some spaces along the access road. No commercial facilities, bring supplies.

Wind specificities

Southeast wind arrives side-onshore, slightly attenuated by the eastern headland of the bay. Typical strength of 15-22 knots in summer. Southwest wind is more onshore and can build chop in the bay. The bay configuration offers some protection compared to the open coast. WSW wind is still rideable thanks to the bay opening towards the southwest.

Hazards

Rocks on the bay headlands. Shore break during southwest swells. Sharks present in the area. No lifeguard service. Currents possible along rocky headlands. Relatively isolated spot but less so than Goukamma.

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Sedgefield Island19 kmsource iweathar.co.za

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Additional stations

KNYSNA9.9 km

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source WIS2 - WMO
Sedgeview19.1 km

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source iweathar.co.za

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Webcams near Buffelsbaai

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Nearby spots

All spots: Western Cape

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Buffelsbaai kitesurf and wingfoil spot