Ditch Plains - surf spot statistics

Ditch Plains, located on the east coast of the United States, is a surf spot primarily influenced by wind swells, with ground swells playing a much smaller role in wave formation. Throughout the year, wind swells dominate, accounting for 71% to 92% of the swell activity, while ground swells range from just 3% to 23%, peaking in September. The mean swell size remains relatively consistent, averaging around 1.0 to 1.2 meters, with slightly smaller waves in late summer (August-September) and slightly larger waves in winter and early spring. Wind conditions are generally poor, with bad onshore winds prevailing 79% to 89% of the time, though they improve slightly in summer, particularly in July and August, when good wind conditions reach around 20-21%. The best time to surf Ditch Plains is from late summer to early fall, specifically August and September, when ground swell contributions increase, wind conditions are slightly more favorable, and wave size remains decent. While summer (June-August) offers more frequent lighter winds, the swells tend to be smaller and less powerful. Winter months bring slightly larger waves but suffer from consistently poor wind conditions, making sessions less ideal. Overall, surfers should target late summer and early fall for the best balance of swell quality and wind conditions at this spot.

July at Ditch Plains offers generally small but surfable conditions, with an average swell height of 1.0m and a decent 7.0s period, providing some energy for maneuvers. The dominant swell directions are from the south (S, SSE, SE), accounting for the largest share of rideable waves, particularly in the 0.5-2m range. Cleaner conditions (20% ideal wind) are more likely when winds are light offshore (N, NE) or light cross-shore, but these are relatively rare. Most often, winds come from the SW to S, which can create choppy or sideshore effects, especially when speeds exceed 20kph—common with SSW and SW winds. Waves above 1.5m are infrequent but occur mostly from S and SSW directions, offering occasional punchier peaks for shortboards. Expect smaller, weaker waves under 1m on most days, suitable for longboarding or beginners, with only a handful of days delivering solid, well-shaped waves in the 1-2m range when swell and wind align favorably.