In Search of the Sweetest Wave in South Australia

Embrace the pleasant spring weather with a weekend trip to the beautiful city of Adelaide. As well as being home to some amazing wineries, great eateries and plenty of cultural activities, Adelaide has easy access to some of the sweetest Aussie surf beaches. So bring back the boardies and book your Adelaide hotel, because the following is a guide to the best spots to catch a good wave in driving distance of Adelaide.

Chinamans (Yorke Peninsula)

Located three hours from Adelaide city, the area around Yorke Peninsula actually offers a huge range of different surf spots of varying levels of difficulty. Chinamans, a left-hand reef break, is by far one of the best, with powerful, consistent surf and a swell of between one to three metres. This isn’t a break for the fainthearted; it’s advised that the area is tackled by experienced surfers only. The cool thing about Chinamans is that if you’re planning on inviting your entourage, you can be watched, photographed or videoed from the top of the neighbouring cliff. One quick tip: Avoid the area at high-tide, as the conditions are too dangerous — even for the most confident rider.

Pondalowie Bay (Yorke Peninsula)

Another sweet spot in the vicinity of the Yorke Peninsula is Pondalowie Bay. Pondalowie is a combination of a beach and reef break; it too has a swell of between one to htree metres. It’s particularly good during summer and best at low or medium tide when there are easterly winds. The only downside to Pondalowie is that its quality of surf makes it extremely popular, especially in the warmer months. Just be courteous to the locals and careful not to drop in on anyone else’s wave, and you shouldn’t have a problem. The area surrounding Pondalowie is quite beautiful, so pack a picnic or barbecue breakfast, lunch or dinner, and enjoy some beach action once the surfing is over.

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is only accessible by plane or ferry from Cape Jervois but don’t let that put you off, because is it worth the effort! If you’ve got some cash behind you, book a 4WD for the day and drag it over on the vehicle ferry, because some of the best surfing spots can only be accessed by four-wheel drive. The surfing at KI is awesome, as a pounding swell bullies the south coast all year round. The north coast is also pretty good, but can be inconsistent in comparison. The great thing about Kangaroo Island is, because of its isolated location, you will find barely any people here. There is something almost poetic about taking on the swell of the big sea solo.

Robe Beach

About four hours away, in the south east of Adelaide, lies the super surf spot of Robe Long Beach. Quite typical of a beach break exposed to offshore winds: When it’s good, it’s very good, but when it’s bad, it’s horrid. The conditions around Robe are suitable for surfers of all levels, even beginners, although you must take care to avoid the windsurfers who frequent the area. The water around Robe can also be a little colder in contrast to the other surfing regions of Adelaide. Pack a 3mm wetsuit, even now that the weather is warming up.

The Mid-Coast

In closest context to Adelaide city is the mid-coastal area, which is accessible in under an hour by car. Although it’s only a few kilometres in length, there are over 20 reef and beach breaks packed into this coastal stretch. However, there are a few issues here, the biggest being that you have to cope with the crowds. They are nothing, though, compared with what you would experience in the Sydney beach suburbs of Bronte, Cronulla or Tamarama. The other problem is that due to its position in the Gulf of St. Vincent, the area experiences a narrow swell window, and surf conditions can be inconsistent. It pays to check the status of the area online before you begin the drive there.

About the Author: Blogger Ben Cornish is proud to be a stereotypical Aussie surfer dude.