On 16 September 2023, False Bay woke to a Southern Ocean storm that sent powerful, long-period lines wrapping cleanly into Kalk Bay Reef. The swell, peaking at 4–5.5 metres with sets in the six-to-eight-foot range, was driven by a deep low far south of the Cape and carried a punch rarely seen inside the bay. I’ve been photographing Kalk Bay for over fourteen years, and this was the heaviest I’ve witnessed — the sort of day that redraws the reef’s contours in your memory. Moderate north-westerlies brushed the surface early, swinging westerly as squalls moved through, creating that classic grey-blue texture unique to Cape storms. Between bursts of rain, a few hardy local surfers and bodyboarders paddled into dark walls of deep ocean power, their silhouettes dwarfed by the energy unloading across the normal shallow reef. It was a reminder of how quickly False Bay can transform from calm to ferocious, and why this reef still commands deep respect.
A historic False Bay swell — long-period Southern Ocean energy wrapping into Kalk Bay Reef with six-to-eight-foot sets and roaring offshore winds. Arguably one of the biggest days in over a decade? I captured from the Brass Bell and then the car park that sits directly in front of the reef – I watched as the ocean reminded everyone why Kalk Bay remains Cape Town’s most unpredictable wave.
Moments like this are why we keep our cameras ready and our boards waxed. Kalk Bay Reef doesn’t often deliver perfection, but when it does, it’s raw, moody and unforgettable. The images from that day tell a story of scale, courage and timing – of locals chasing something rare and real. For me, this swell sits among the defining days of my fourteen years shooting the Cape coast – a benchmark for the power of False Bay and Kalk Bay.