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.

September at Ditch Plains offers generally rideable conditions with an average swell height of 1.1m and a decent period of 8.7s, providing some quality, albeit mostly small to mid-sized waves. The dominant swell directions are SE and SSE, which make up a significant portion of the swell distribution, with SE swells (21.51%) frequently in the 0.5-1m range and SSE swells (6.5%) contributing similar-sized waves. These directions often produce the best shape for the spot, though larger swells (1.5-2m+) are less frequent, occurring around 2.5-5% of the time. The wind is a key factor, with only 18% of days offering ideal offshore or light cross-shore conditions. The most problematic winds come from the SW and WSW, which can create choppy or blown-out surf, though lighter winds (10-20kph) from the NNE or NE occasionally provide cleaner conditions. Overall, September sees rideable waves most days, but true quality sessions are less common, requiring a mix of favorable swell direction, size, and wind alignment. Experienced surfers can find fun, peaky waves, especially on SE swells with lighter winds, but expect mostly small to average conditions.