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.

May: Wind Wins, Swell Fades

May sees a significant shift in the wind pattern, with the southwest monsoon beginning to strengthen. Average swell height falls to 0.8m and the average period drops to 9.1s, indicating a decline in swell energy. The dominant swell direction is still from the ENE (66.7%), but the wave height distribution is overwhelmingly in the 0.5-1.0m range (55.6% from ENE). This is small, groveling surf, often with a short period that makes it weak and bumpy. The good news: ideal offshore wind from the SW to WNW quadrants jumps to 13% of the time, with WSW winds at 4.4% and SW at 2.8%. The wind distribution is more spread out, and 0-20kph breezes prevail, meaning less intense onshore flow. On days with a strong SW wind, the surf can be clean and fun-sized, albeit small. May is a month of clean conditions on small waves—great for learning or cruising.