Big wave surf spots in Cape Town – Dungeons

In Cape Town, SW wind gives us time to sleep in, do our fingernails, some gardening or shopping: most spots in Cape Town are messed up in this wind direction. One of the spots that work is big wave surf spot Dungeons, a world famous big wave right-hand break around the corner from Hout Bay harbour, behind the Sentinel. Not for the faint hearted, or the common or garden surfer, this break only starts to work when it’s 8 to 10 foot and is best with a 20-foot west swell. Tow-in surfers free surf here but it is mainly surfed during Big Wave contests.
Hout Bay has a few places for coffee and chat in the mainstream shopping centre; there’s Mario’s on the main road near the beach front circle, and at the bottom of Chappies is Chapman’s Peak hotel for drinks. Sitting on the hill overlooking the break, watching the big wave contest, with a discrete picnic and a flask of coffee or an old brown sherry is a warming option.
This break is not a girlie one, but the big wave surfers who surf it are worth a look.
A world renowned big-wave break deserves maximum stars, but for most of us it’s a look-at only, so 3 out of 5.
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