Cat Bay • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (November - March)

Cat Bay is a study in contrast: the beach faces north-northwest, but its most consistent surf actually arrives as southwest groundswell pushing through Bass Strait. That makes wind the true deciding factor. From November through March the subtropical ridge sits far enough south to keep the worst of the westerly storm track at bay, while average swell height holds in the playful 1.4-1.5m (4.5-5ft) range with periods around 11-12s. Offshore S, SSW and SW winds blow through 42-47% of the time, giving the bay clean, rippable waves. This is the most reliable window for quality surf.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September - October)

Autumn and spring are transitional. April and May see average swell nudge up to 1.5m (5ft) with longer 12.5-12.6s periods, while September and October push the biggest average heights of the year at 1.6-1.7m (5.2-5.6ft). The catch? Onshore north-northwest winds become more frequent as synoptic lows track closer to southeastern Australia, dropping the clean-window percentage to 24-37%. When a high-pressure ridge sets up along the south coast, S to SW offshore winds can transform those larger SSW/SW groundswells into excellent, powerful surf.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Winter is the most frustrating season for Cat Bay. The ocean is full of energy, with average swell heights of 1.5-1.7m (5-5.5ft) and periods of 12.4-12.8s, but water temperatures bottom out at 12.9-14.5°C and the wind regime locks into a persistent NNW flow. NNW alone accounts for 23-26% of all wind, and it blows directly onshore into the bay's north-northwest-facing bight. Combined with NW and WNW winds, the majority of days are messy and blown out. Only on rare winter days with S or SW winds does the bay show its true potential, when the long-period SW groundswell turns heavy, powerful and worthwhile.