Skeleton Bay

[JBerry]

Anyone here actually been and surfed there?

Was looking into it.....
Flights from LAX range $4k-$16k
and take about 31 to 38 hours to get there, with about 3 stops.

Seems like a helluva jet lag for quite a few days.
Definitely a season thats better to go.
Need fullsuits, and need large swell to make it work.Multiple boards.

Not so sure it'll happen with all of those requirements, maybe some day...

SO, anyone here on the erbb make it there yet?

 

[CutnSnip]

wow didnt realize flights were so $$.. if it were a right id be alot more interested.

 

[bigmtnbill]

looks like plenty of flights for only $1100-1300 rd trip from LAX, though expect 30-40hrs of travel

$250 rd trip from cape town, which is probably an easier place to find a cheaper flight to from LAX

 

[Hdip]

Budget $3k. That’s the number I’ve heard several times. Including Brett barleys strike missions.

 

[JDJ]

Pass unless Red Bull is paying your way. And if you aren’t required to drink any of their product as part of the deal.

 

[manbearpig]

Flights out of JFK for around $1000 r/t.

 

[JBerry]

ok got it.

March 11- April 7th
LAX to Cape town -$592 RT
March 14-March21- 1 week
Cape town - Walvis Bay $327 RT

Take 3 days in Cape town.
Spend 1 week in SKeleton bay coast.
Spend 2 weeks back in Cape town/ SA.

so $920 or so to go in March, which is the cheapest time to fly to SA.
And I think the surf is still doable that time of year for the skeleton coast.

Anybody have any good places to stay to look into?

 

[JBerry]

I suppose depending on time of year, $3k is reasonable for a few weeks, including food, boards, flights, taxis, cars, etc.

 

[gbg]

Seems like alot of work to surf there.

Hopefully the long walks back make nabbing a couple of the good ones with 50 pros out possible for the common man.

 

[LifeOnMars]

Seems like alot of work to surf there.

Hopefully the long walks back make nabbing a couple of the good ones with 50 pros out possible for the common man.

just need to pack a sand ready ebike and you're set

 

[casa_mugrienta]

I have met a few guys coming and going from there while in South Africa and know one guy who has been multiple times.

It's a gamble and you can get skunked and people do get skunked.

Best to get together with some other traveling surfers or locals while in Africa and go for it. Plan for 2 days drive from Cape Town, you will need 4WD. You can also fly to Windhoek and rent 4WD there.

Everyone I've met says the same thing about it - you had better be fast on the drop, the wave is really fast, so heavy, and the current is insane.

 

[diro]

Budget $3k. That’s the number I’ve heard several times. Including Brett barleys strike missions.

I was advised to budget more like $5k. It is on my wish list but doubtful I'll every get there.

 

[grendel95]

Contact Anthony Marcotti at World Wave Expeditions, he's done the trip from SoCal. I think it's quite an adventure to get there, even after the flights.

worldwaveexpeditions.com

 

[JBerry]

Some of your replys, 50 guys out?? in the middle of the freaking desert?? cold water, wetsuits??
Not exactly what I was hoping for, but with careful planning I guess the crowd size wouldn't matter too much if the current is strong enough and plenty of swell.

 

[JBerry]

Contact Anthony Marcotti at World Wave Expeditions, he's done the trip from SoCal. I think it's quite an adventure to get there, even after the flights.

worldwaveexpeditions.com

From so cal, ~35 hrs in flights does not sound too fun. then a few hours or more depepnding on where your coming from in a 4x4.

Can it be sketchy there as in gun toting pirates and banditos? I'll have to look but is there a US travel advisory?

 

[Ranga]

Looks like you need to have pro-level skills to ride that wave.

 

[Ranga]

I'm not sure my creaky old ass could just rock up and get shacked. Looks like some technical tube savvy and nimble feet are prerequisites.

 

[mundus]

Certainly doesn't look like the easiest drops around.

 

[manbearpig]

Some of your replys, 50 guys out?? in the middle of the freaking desert?? cold water, wetsuits??
Not exactly what I was hoping for, but with careful planning I guess the crowd size wouldn't matter too much if the current is strong enough and plenty of swell.

I doubt there’s anywhere near even 20 people out.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

I doubt there’s anywhere near even 20 people out.

Think again.

Plenty of South Africans fiend for the Donkey, and plenty of South Africans have the $$$ to just drop everything and hit it when it's on. That's not counting pros around the planet and traveling surfers with money to burn.

But from what I'm told there's no "paddleout" because the current is so strong you basically hop in the water and start getting swept down the point at a running speed...then you have to line one up. If you don't make your wave it's time to head back up to the top of the point on foot. Plenty of waves to go around.

The wave is not a joke. If you're a regularfoot be aware plenty of very competent backsiders I've talked to have been completely humbled by the difficulty or arriving to find the wave on that particular swell exceeds their ability level.

I've never heard any wave talked about in the way Donkey is. If you're not actually prepared skill was and mentally to handle whatever it throws at you you're wasting your time. Combine that with needing the right swell, enough swell, and the chance for skunkage, the very high danger factor and you have a spot that is really for a very very small percentage of surfers on the planet