Madiba's Hat
Surf spot · South Africa
Is it worth the trip?
38Poor out of 100 for your dates
2 days tie for best
Tue 3 · 49 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft9 s
- Energy
- 170kJ
- Wind
- ENE 3 kn
- Temp
- 21°C
Wed 4 · 61 out of 100
- Swell
- 4 ft8 s
- Energy
- 231kJ
- Wind
- NE 1 kn
- Temp
- 20°C
Thu 5 · 19 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft10 s
- Energy
- 167kJ
- Wind
- NW 12 kn
- Temp
- 18°C
Fri 6 · 0 out of 100
- Swell
- 8 ft8 s
- Energy
- 670kJ
- Wind
- NW 11 kn
- Temp
- 17°C
Sat 7 · 12 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft10 s
- Energy
- 115kJ
- Wind
- SW 6 kn
- Temp
- 17°C
Sun 8 · 0 out of 100
- Swell
- 8 ft9 s
- Energy
- 767kJ
- Wind
- E 6 kn
- Temp
- 21°C
Mon 9 · 61 out of 100
- Swell
- 4 ft8 s
- Energy
- 186kJ
- Wind
- W 1 kn
- Temp
- 18°C
Tap a day for waves, wind and the temperature. Full forecast
Forecast: next 9 days
Full forecast- Mon 29, poor
- Tue 349, fair
- Wed 461, good
- Thu 519, poor
- Fri 60, too big
- Sat 712, too small
- Sun 80, too big
- Mon 961, good
- Tue 1040, poor
The spot in six facts
- Faces SWtakes swell from the SW
- Offshore: NEwind from the land
- Intermediate +who it suits
- Works 2–9 ftof swell
- Water 15 °C4/3 wetsuit and boots
- Best Apr–May1 good days in 7
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know rips, currents, rocks or your skill.
Madiba's Hat does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 9, poor | 5 ft9 s6 ft at break (est.) | 291kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 18 knots | 20°C |
| Tue 3Nov | 49, fair | 3 ft9 s5 ft at break (est.) | 170kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Wed 4Nov | 61, good | 4 ft8 s6 ft at break (est.) | 231kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 1 knot, offshore | 20°C |
| Thu 5Nov | 19, poor | 3 ft10 s4 ft at break (est.) | 167kJ | wind from the north-west, 12 knots | 18°C |
| Fri 6Nov | 0, too big | 8 ft8 s8 ft at break (est.) | 670kJ | wind from the north-west, 11 knots | 17°C |
| Sat 7Nov | 12, too small | 3 ft10 s4 ft at break (est.) | 115kJ | wind from the south-west, 6 knots | 17°C |
| Sun 8Nov | 0, too big | 8 ft9 s9 ft at break (est.) | 767kJ | wind from the east, 6 knots | 21°C |
| Mon 9Nov | 61, good | 4 ft8 s5 ft at break (est.) | 186kJ | wind from the west, 1 knot | 18°C |
| Tue 10Nov | 40, poor | 3 ft12 s5 ft at break (est.) | 262kJ | wind from the west, 8 knots | 18°C |
Energy is the swell's power, in kJ per metre of wave. Wind is in knots, the arrow where it blows to; green is offshore. More
Tide
- Mon 2 NovLow 02:50 −0.3 mHigh 09:17 +0.4 mLow 15:59 −0.4 mHigh 22:06 +0.3 m
- Tue 3 NovLow 04:26 −0.4 mHigh 10:44 +0.5 mLow 17:24 −0.5 mHigh 23:29 +0.4 m
- Wed 4 NovLow 05:40 −0.4 mHigh 11:51 +0.6 mLow 18:24 −0.6 m
Local clock times; heights about mean sea level. On open coasts the times are usually within a quarter of an hour; in bays, estuaries and on the Gulf of Mexico they can be an hour or more out. Tide: EOT20 global ocean tide model, Hart-Davis et al. 2021, DGFI-TUM (doi:10.17882/79489), CC BY 4.0. Times and heights computed by us. A model, not a tide table: check a local table before you go.
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
best Apr–May
Good days in a typical week, each month, for intermediate surfers, from 2016 on (history scored the same way).
- Jan0of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb0of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar0of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr1of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May1of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun0of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul0of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug0of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep0of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct0of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov0of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec0of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical, not a forecast.
Map
the spot, its town, photos
Madiba's Hat on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates, a surf spot for beginners: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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Photos of Madiba's Hat
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About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Madiba's Hat
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.
The spot faces SW (209°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (29°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea is about 14°C in May, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 16°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April and May, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. Nearest beds: Blouberg, 11 km (about 20 min by car). Nearest airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT), 27 km. Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots and 2 dive sites.
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,140–US$2,260 each
about US$1,140–US$2,260 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, food, board and wetsuit.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to CPT, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | about US$858–US$1,780 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$67–US$114 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$147–US$268 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$67–US$107 |
| Total | about US$1,140–US$2,260 |
No town nearby, so no stay is in it. For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: nearest beds 11 km away
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
No town nearby
Nearest beds: Blouberg, 11 km (about 20 min by car). Nearest airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT), 27 km.
See places to stay near Blouberg, 11 km away · Booking.comGetting there: about 26h 35m
About 26h 35m door to door from Chicago
Fly MDW → CPT, changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), then 50 min by road
Flights MDW → CPT on your dates · AviasalesAdeSIM for your phone · Search on AiraloAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.