Juist

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic storm track locks into the German Bight between October and March, and Juist sees its most consistent, powerful swell of the year. Average heights climb from around 3.6ft (1.1m) in October to over 4ft (1.2m) by December and January, while wave periods hover in the 5.7 to 6.0 second range. The dominant energy comes from the NNW and NW quadrants, which face straight into the island's north-facing sandbars. That is the good news. The bad news is that these same months are ruled by strong SW to WSW winds, so the surf is frequently lumpy, blown out and hard to read. The real gold lies in the 6-8% of the time when the wind swings into the SE to SSW quadrant and turns those stormy northwest swells into clean, offshore lines. Water temps are cold, ranging from 4.0°C to 13.5°C, and thick rubber is a must.