Ingonish Beach - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The heart of winter roars to life along this exposed East Coast stretch as the North Atlantic and the Gulf of St. Lawrence feed a steady diet of powerful swell. January leads the charge with an average height of 1.8m and periods touching 7.3s, though the ideal wind window (SW to NW) only holds 30% of the time. February and March maintain solid 1.6-1.7m averages but the perfect offshore window narrows to 18% and 13% respectively, making timing critical. When cold fronts sweep down from Canada and the NAO index dips, long-period W to NW groundswells wrap into the beach, producing pumping, firing lines in the 1.5-2.5m range. Those willing to battle winter’s bite are rewarded with the year’s best wave quality.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

As the seasons transition, swell energy drops but consistency and wind quality improve. April sees average heights fall to 1.3m with periods of 7.2s, while the offshore wind percentage jumps to 25% – a welcome trade-off. Swell from the E and ESE dominates, offering fun, groveling to solid waves in the 0.5-1.5m range. September marks the return of autumn storms, with average heights climbing back to 1.1m and ideal winds at 45%. The mix of building swell and favorable W/NW breeze can produce clean, rippable surf – the shoulder season sweet spot.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

Summer’s grip settles in and the wave machine grinds to a halt. From May through August, average swell heights bottom out between 0.7m and 0.9m, with periods rarely exceeding 6.8s. The wind, however, is a bright spot: the offshore window expands to 40-47%, giving plenty of glassy mornings. But those calm breezes and warm sun bring mainly small, fun-sized waves in the knee-to-waist range. ESE to S windswells dominate, but the lack of fetch and period (mostly 5-7s) means choppy, low-energy surf. Best suited for longboards and grovelers with low expectations.

May: Sizing Down, Slicking Up

May sees average heights drop to 0.9m and period to 6.8s. The swell shifts heavily toward the ESE and SSE (totaling 22%), coming from the warm side of the compass. These are classic summer pulses: short-period, wind-driven waves that rarely break above 1.5m (small, fun-sized). The silver lining? The offshore wind window expands to 36%, the highest since the winter. Light W to NW breezes dominate, creating glassy mornings with thigh-high peelers. It’s a longboard paradise, but don’t expect any power; the groveler is your best friend.