Jeffreys Bay was not always a surf spot. Back in the 1840s Captain Jeffreys, ran a cargo ship, trading up and down South Africa’s East Coast. In 1849 he set up a trading post on the beach at what we know as Jeffreys Bay today and created a distribution point for the local farmers.
By the late 1940s people were coming to Jbay more and more to fish, going out to catch geelbek, steenbra, snoek and leervis. Jbay had developed into a fishing village relatively popular during the holidays.
But Jeffreys Bay was just about to meet surf culture head-on. Bruce Brown’s film The Endless Summer kicked things off when it dropped in 1966. The film’s centrepiece was Bruce’s Beauties in the town of St Francis Bay which led to South African surfers making the trip to the area. In so doing they stumbled upon the more accessible point at Jbay which turned out to be a better surf spot.
One of the surfing world’s crown jewels had been discovered, was mapped and open for business… and pleasure. Located about 3km up the road from the town, there was nothing more than a wave, a dune and an open lot where most surfers camped or slept in their cars… But it was the start of big things.
Trading established the town, fishing developed the town and surfing made it famous. Today it is a popular holiday destination, sought after by both young and old to stay, play and retire in.