Cabarita - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (May - July)

The winter months deliver the most consistent and quality surf at Cabarita. High pressure systems dominate the Tasman Sea, driving a steady stream of cool, offshore winds from the SW to WNW. This coincides with a healthy east-southeast swell generated by distant low pressure cells below Australia. The result is clean, peelable waves with average periods hovering around 8.9 seconds and heights in the 1–1.5m range. The wind blows offshore over 60% of the time during this window, making it the prime time to score fun, rippable waves away from the summer crowds.

Fair Surf Season (April & August - September)

April offers a taste of the winter shift: offshore wind frequency jumps to 44% and the average period edges up to 8.6s. Swell remains solid from the E/ESE, though occasional early morning northerlies can muss things up. In late winter (August) and early spring (September), the trade‑off is between increasing swell consistency and a more fickle wind pattern. Ideal offshore wind drops to 54% in August and 45% in September, and the swell period shortens slightly. Still, these shoulder months can fire when a cold front sweeps through, clearing the onshore flow and leaving behind powerful, clean lines.

Low Surf Season (October - March)

Spring and summer bring the brunt of the NE to E onshore flow. From October through March, the percentage of ideal offshore wind languishes between 20% and 33%. The prevailing wind is from the S to SSE – blowing straight onshore at the ENE‑facing beach – and the swell is often short‑period and choppy. Average wave heights hover around the 1m mark, but periods are typically 7–8 seconds, leading to mushy, sectiony waves. While the occasional tropical low can deliver a fun E‑groundswell, the overall quality is low. The best chance for a decent wave comes during a strong southerly buster that momentarily swings the wind to the SW before reverting to the summer pattern.

January: Summer Doldrums

January is peak summer, and the surf reflects it. Swell averages 1.1m with a short 8.0s period – mostly windswell from the E (39%) and ESE (24%). The dominant wind is from the S to SSE (35% combined), which is pure onshore for Cabarita's ENE exposure. Only 20% of the time do we get offshore (W to SW) winds. Expect small, grovelly conditions more suited to a foamie than a thruster. The rare fun wave happens when a trough pushes the wind into the SW, cleaning up a pulse of E swell before the seabreeze kicks back in.