The Box
Also known as: -
The infamous square, ledging slab off Cape Mentelle - a heavy, shallow specialty barrel for experts, and a WSL backup venue.
Best time to surf
When swell/wind align, best autumn-winter-spring; an occasional WSL Margaret River Pro backup venue
Shoulder season: Moderate - sensitive/fickle; only shines on a specific SW-S swell with NE-SE wind and mid-high tide
The wave
Break type: Reef break (slab, right)
Bottom: Reef (shallow jagged reef ledge/slab off Cape Mentelle)
Wave direction: Fast square right-hand slab (some left); backdoor into a ledgy barrel
Typical wave length: Short and intense - a single square, ledging tube section
Ideal swell: Powerful SW-S groundswell lurching onto the shallow slab; best waist-to-triple-overhead
Ideal wind: Offshore easterly (NE-SE)
Working tide: Mid-to-high tide
Difficulty & skill
Difficulty (1-5): 5
Skill level: Expert only (a specialty wave; one of the more life-threatening in the area)
Options for a mixed group: Not a group wave - experts only; everyone else stays at Gnarabup/Gas Bay/Rivermouth. Best watched from Surfers Point car park
Safety & hazards
Shallow jagged reef slab, a very heavy square barrel, board/body breaks, rocks, sharks - one of the most dangerous waves in the area
Margaret River town ~10 min; nearest hospital Margaret River / Busselton Health Campus; Surf Life Saving WA; remote heavy-wave setting; 000
Crowd, access & conditions
Crowd & localism: Smaller expert crowd than Main Break; specialty lineup when on
Access & parking: Paddle out from Surfers Point / Prevelly; viewable (conditions permitting) from the Surfers Point car park
Surf schools & rental: No lessons here (expert wave); regional operators (Josh Palmateer's, Margaret River Surf School, Yallingup) service beginner breaks only
Water temp & wetsuit: Cold-temperate ~16-22 C (peak ~22 C Mar, ~16-18 C Sep); 3/2 steamer most of year, 4/3 plus boots in winter
Crowds, access and local conditions change - confirm locally before you paddle out.
Around the break
Facilities: Nearest facilities at Surfers Point car park / Prevelly (toilets, parking, cafes)
For non-surfers: Margaret River wineries and breweries, caves (Mammoth, Lake, Jewel, Ngilgi), Boranup karri forest, Prevelly/Gnarabup beaches
Location
Nearest hub: Margaret River (WA)
-33.9680, 114.9930 (approximate) (~200m offshore right of Surfers Point)
Live conditions
Today's swell, wind and tide are a runtime layer - check the live sources: MRBTA 'The Box'; WSL Margaret River Pro; Surf-Forecast The Box
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand surf report. Coordinates are approximate.