Jeffreys Bay, nicknamed J-bay and known as Jeffreysbaai in Afrikaans, is a coastal town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, situated along the R102 Regional Route and just off the N2 National Route, about 75 km southwest of Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth).
The town is famous amongst surfers as a surf capital due to the right-hand point break at Supertubes Beach.
Jeffreys Bay falls within the Kouga Local Municipality and the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. Jeffreys Bay is the main town and administrative centre/seat of the Kouga Local Municipality.
Jeffreys Bay sits at the gateway to the beautiful Garden Route – between Port Elizabeth (officially renamed Gqeberha) and Cape Town.
Fondly referred to as J’Bay by locals and loyal visitors, Jeffreys Bay has long stretches of sandy beaches, lapped by the warm waves of the Indian Ocean.
Best known for its spectacular surfing spots, which include Kitchen Windows, Surfers Point, and Supertubes, this town is internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s top ten surf spots. Host to several national and international surfing competitions throughout the year, J’Bay is a prime holiday destination.
Jeffreys Bay is home to the quiet suburb of Paradise Beach, which is bordered by natural reserves and picturesque estuaries.
History
Jeffreys Bay is named after the senior partner of the firm Jeffrey & Glendinnings, who opened a store in 1849 on the location where the town is today. Jeffrey is believed to be the first person to have settled there.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Jeffreys Bay was known as a hippie hangout, where the now-burgeoning surf community originated. Jeffreys Bay has had extensive growth over the past few years and is one of the fastest-expanding urban areas in the country.
Jeffreys Bay, as a surfing destination, was made famous by Bruce Brown’s movie “The Endless Summer”.