Caridad - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The northeast monsoon roars to life during these months, driving consistent, powerful swell from the NE and ENE quadrants directly into the east-facing shores of Caridad. Average wave heights climb from 1.1m in October to a peak of 1.7m in January, with periods often reaching 10 seconds or more, delivering punchy, rideable waves that can turn powerful on the sets. However, the curse of this season lies in the wind: the same NE winds that bring the swell also blow directly onshore, ruining wave quality over 90% of the time. The magic happens when a transient high-pressure system shifts winds to the SW or W, or when a cold front clears the coast, providing those rare, glassy offshore conditions that transform Caridad into a world-class wave. These windows are fleeting (1-3% of the time), but when they align with a solid NE groundswell, the result is firing, heavy surf that leaves a lasting memory.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September)

As the northeast monsoon weakens in April and May, swell heights drop to a modest 0.8-1.1m, but the wind regime becomes more variable and favorable. The trade winds shift, and southerly, southwesterly, and westerly breezes increase in frequency, creating offshore conditions at Caridad up to 13% of the time in May. Waves are fun-sized and rippable, often clean in the mornings before the seabreeze kicks in. September marks the return of the southwest monsoon's tail end, with ideal offshore wind percentages peaking at 36% and swell building to 0.8m with periods of 9.5s, offering a taste of the coming season's consistency with better wind prospects.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

The southwest monsoon dominates the summer months, bringing persistent SW to W winds that blow offshore at Caridad—good news for wind, but bad news for swell. The fetch is limited and the wave heights average a meager 0.7m with periods around 8.4-9.0s, resulting in mostly small, groveling conditions. The only exceptions are rare typhoon-generated swells that track close enough to the Philippines to wrap into the coast, but these often come with strong onshore winds and chaotic seas. For the most part, summer is a time for longboarders and beginners to enjoy clean, tiny waves, while more experienced surfers will want to wait for the autumn transition.

June: Peak Summer Doldrums

June ushers in the heart of the low season. Average swell height drops to 0.7m and period to 8.5s, the lowest of the year. The swell distribution shows a massive 43.1% of waves from the ENE in the 0.5-1m range, with another 22.7% from the E in the same category. Essentially, wave heights are marginal, and periods are short, resulting in weak, choppy conditions. On the wind side, the southwest monsoon is now fully established, with SW to WNW winds accounting for 21% of the time—the best offshore wind percentage so far. The wind is dominated by SE to WSW directions, with speeds generally under 20kph. While the wind is often offshore or sideshore-offshore, the tiny swell means that only long-period swell from distant typhoons can produce any worthwhile waves. Most days are flat to knee-high with clean but gutless surf.