Located in Durban, South Africa, Vetchies Reef is a rare, hollow, and dangerous right-hand reef that throws out a fast and breathtaking barrel when the exact right conditions align. This break is formed over an old harbour wall and really only works on massive South swells as the wave needs to wrap inside the Durban harbour to hit the reef. There are two sections: The first is more hollow and critical, and the second is slightly more forgiving and wally. It’s a decent paddle to the spot, but when it’s good, it will be worth it. When good, it means that other spots in Durban are also firing, so it keeps the crowds down a bit. The waves here are dangerous and shallow and break for up to 150 meters (492 feet) over the sunken harbour wall.
What are the best surf conditions for Vetchies Reef?
Vetchies Reef gets good between chest high and double overhead. We recommend riding a shortboard and then a step up here. This break is good for intermediate but mostly advanced surfers. The surf here does not break very often (3/10) and will usually have a crew on it (6/10). The best winds are from the Southwest. The best swells are from the Southeast and are massive. The higher the tide, the better.
We recommend wearing boardshorts or a bikini in summer when water temperatures rise to 26°C (78.8°F). In the winter, a spring suit might be best as temps drop to about 21°C (69.8°F). See the temperature chart below for more data on this.
