Big Wave Surfing

More often than not during the winter months in Cape Town gets battered by some ferocious weather.
These intense storms often bring misery and suffering to a large portion of our population, especially those living on the Cape Flats.
However, for a small group of surfers, these destructive and fatal storms are welcomed.
These Storms bring with them the promise of Big Waves.

Decent sized winter swell

Cape Town is home to a number of world-class big wave surfing breaks.
The Kom, The Factory, Sunset reef and Dungeons are the most common waves down here.

For me, the two most epic waves are Sunset reef and Dungeons.

Sunset reef, in the middle of the bay off the Kommetjie coast, is a tricky peak with a steep drop into a big open wall of a wave. With a bit of extra size in the swell this becomes a little more intense.

Andy Marr on a bomb of a wave out at Sunset reef

Dungeons is one of the world’s premiere big wave breaks.
Big wave surfers from all over the world will fly in to Cape Town just to ride the massive waves it produces. This wave is everything a big wave surf break should be.

Andy Marr and Dungeons

Shooting these spectacular waves requires one to be on a boat.
This, for me, is a problem, as I can’t stand being on a boat. I get stupid sick just looking at one.
The other issue shooting these waves is the bad weather that usually comes with the swells. Not only is it cold on the water but also it is usually wet and badly lit. Sometimes we do get serious waves without the weather and this does make things a little easier (minus the glare out at sunset) but the discomfort is generally worth it when the swells are around the 20 foot plus mark as it is quite a sight watching the surfers having a go.

A gallery of some of last winter’s big wave sessions out at Sunset and Dungeons.

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