Wedge Surf Guide

Wedge Surf Guide

To the south of New Pier is Wedge Beach. Named after a reef that was once a horseshoe enclosure constructed to protect bathers from sharks in the 1950s. The West Street Groin was erected alongside it that kept the sand off the reef and the rip running. When the groin was removed, the reef got covered up in sand. Now it is an average beachbreak type of wave that forms an intrinsic part of the Durban beachfront.

When the swell has a bit of east in it, or is just a broken up swell, the Wedge can provide some of the biggest barrels on the Durban beachfront, and offers rare lefts for the goofy-footers who never get a chance to surf on their forehands. On epic swells the Wedge erupts into booming right and left peaks that throw big barrels over the shallow sandbank. More often than not though, the Wedge tends to close out on a normal swell. When it does have waves, it serves the vital function of spreading the crowd. The Wedge loves a low tide as with the high tide the wave fattens out and fades towards the pier.

When it is small and running, the Wedge is enjoyed by longboarders and shortboarders of all genders. When it gets big and barreling it is recommended for the skilled and competent. When the swell is pushing from the southwest there is usually a strong side wash. Caught on the wrong side of the pier after a wipeout could lead to a very heavy trip through the pier. It's a tight, barnacled-encrusted fit through the pilings and people who go through it can get cut to pieces.