Battery
- Wave, Shortboard
- Best for
- Expert
- Skill Level
- Medium waves, Swell
- Spot Type
- Quiet
- Crowd Level
This spot information is AI-assisted and has not been human verified. It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect. Verify safety, access, local rules, and current conditions with official or local sources before riding.
About
Battery is a small reef break with clean water and a right-hand wave profile. It typically starts working around 1.0–1.5 m and can hold well to about 2.5 m+, with reports of it reaching into heavier conditions on bigger swells. Surfing is described as very consistent (around 150 surfable days in a year) and regionally classic for riders seeking a fast reef right.
- Consistent right-hand reef break
- Fast, vertical sections with occasional barrel potential
- Mid-tide preferred to avoid the shallowest reef sections
- Very consistent right-hand reef break
- Fast, powerful sections with occasional barrel opportunities
- Best wind directions (SE, SSE, S) align with seasonal wind windows for wind sports
- Advanced level required due to shallow reef hazards and powerful conditions
- Currents/rips/undertow and strong drift can make entry/exit risky
- Cold Atlantic water and exposure increase discomfort and risk
- No lifeguards; rescue is limited
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- SE, SSE, S
- Offshore directions
- SE
- Wind Range
- 15–35 kts
- Wind Type
- Thermal — South-easterly wind pattern locally referred to as a strong summer sea-breeze (South Easter).
- Reliability
- High during summer months
- Gust Factor
- Moderate gusts
- Best Months
- January, February, March, November, December
- Shadow Zones
- Directly under the Slangkop Lighthouse during specific wind angles.
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Medium waves, Swell
- Beach
- Reef
- Beach Size
- Small
- Waves
- Big — Swell can build beyond the typical working range; heavy on larger sets.
- Launch
- Small — Instant access (<5 minutes) from the lighthouse area; rocky shoreline with limited sandy patches.
- Launch Difficulty
- Difficult — Launch difficulty is reported as easy by some sources for access, but the reef/kelp and current hazards make the overall setup risky—especially during bigger swells.
Through the year
Usually quiet on weekdays; small local crowd on weekends.
June to August
By sport
What to expect for each.
Advanced wave riding where kiters catch the right-handers coming off the reef; best winds are SE, SSE, and S.
- Kite Sizes
- 6–9 m²
World-class wave destination with powerful wave faces for wave riding and jumps.
- Sail Sizes
- 3.7–5 m²
Only suitable for experts due to shallow reef and dense kelp that can snag a foil.
- Foil Friendly
- Limited
- Min Depth
- 2.5 meters
- Wing Sizes
- 3–5 m²
A reef-rocky right-hand reef break that starts working at about 1.0–1.5 m and can hold up to around 2.5 m+. Known for consistent, fast, vertical sections with occasional barrel opportunities.
- Wave Direction
- Right
- Optimal Swell
- S, SW, W
- Swell Height
- 1.5–3 m
- Optimal Tide
- Mid — Mid-tide is preferred to avoid the shallowest reef sections.
- Shelter
- Exposed
- Wind Effect
- Cleanest on SE winds, which are described as offshore for the right-handers.
- Bigger Swell
- Holds size well up to about 4 m but can become extremely heavy.
- Wave Quality
- Excellent — Regional/classic quality and very consistent.
- Wave Power
- Powerful
- Wave Shape
- Hollow — Often described as powerful and frequently hollow.
- Peel Speed
- Fast
- Ride Length
- Short — Short rides are also described as under 50 m; other sources describe normal ride length up to roughly 50–150 m depending on conditions.
- Typical Ride Length
- 50–150 m
- Ride Length Details
- Fast, vertical sections with occasional barrel opportunities; typically short.
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Battery in the full forecast view.
Battery wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 5–20 ktsGusts 36 kts
- Direction
- SSE159°
- Strongest day
- Sun, Oct 2520 kts
- Windy days
- 6/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 0.9–3.1 m9s period
- Temperature
- 15–24 °C
Over the next 7 days, Battery is forecast for daytime winds of 5–20 kts, peaking around 20 kts on Sunday, October 25 with gusts to 36 kts. The prevailing direction is SSE. Waves run 0.9–3.1 m with a period of about 9s. Based on the Wavind model, in the spot’s local time.
Other spots in the area
What to know before you launch
Safety, access, restrictions, rescue, and local rules can change. Treat these details as informational and confirm them locally before launching.
Hazards
- Reefs
- Sharp reef
- Dense kelp
- Strong currents
- Rips/undertow
- Rocks
- Coral
- Great White Sharks
Rescue & support
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- Limited — NSRI professional volunteer stations operate in the wider area (including Kommetjie).
- Emergency Info
- Nearest hospital is in Fish Hoek; NSRI station 10 is nearby in Simon’s Town. Emergency number 112.
- Localism / Vibe
- Moderate — Moderate local lineup sensitivity at a sensitive reef break.
Rules of the spot
Standard etiquette applies. Reef-bottom hazards require extra care during entry/exit.
- Be prepared to negotiate dangerous rips/undertow when launching and landing.
- Wait for mid-tide to avoid the shallowest sections of the reef.
- Watch the kelp, as it can trap boards or leashes.
- Booties are recommended if you are not used to walking on barnacle-covered rocks.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Kommetjie
- Nearest Town
- Kommetjie
- Parking
- Public parking available at the end of Lighthouse Road.
- Access
- Accessible via a short walk from the Slangkop Lighthouse parking area.
- Cost Level
- Moderate
- Local Language
- English, Afrikaans
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Guesthouses and holiday rentals are described as abundant within Kommetjie.
- Food & Drink
- Local cafes and a small pub are available in the center of Kommetjie village.
- Equipment Rental:
- No rentals on-site; shops are described as located in Longbeach Mall or nearby Noordhoek.
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Battery?
The best overall months at Battery are January, February, March, November, December.
Which wind directions work at Battery?
Battery works with SE, SSE, S winds. Offshore directions are SE.
What equipment sizes are recommended at Battery?
Recommended equipment sizes at Battery: Kitesurfing: 6–9 m² · Windsurfing: 3.7–5 m² · Wingfoiling: 3–5 m². The typical wind range is 15–35 kts.
What skill level is Battery suitable for?
Battery suits these riding levels: Kitesurfing: Advanced · Windsurfing: Expert · Wingfoiling: Expert · Surfing: Advanced to Expert.