New Pier - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (May - August)

The southern winter is the premium window at New Pier. As the westerly storm track shifts north, powerful, long-period swells from the deep South Atlantic become more frequent, though often with a less-than-ideal southerly component. However, the trade-off is a dramatic increase in offshore wind quality. The percentage of time with ideal wind jumps to 51% in May, peaks at 57% in June, and remains above 50% into July. Frequent SW to WNW breezes groom the open ocean swell, creating clean, lined-up waves. Swell heights average a solid 1.7-1.8m with periods often exceeding 10 seconds, pushing the surf into the pumping category on the best days. If you can catch a combo of E/ESE swell and a stiff westerly, prepare for some of the most rippable, fun-sized to solid waves of the year.

Fair Surf Season (March - April & September - November)

Shoulder seasons offer a mixed bag. March and April see the transition out of summer with average swell heights still around 1.7m and periods lengthening to 10 seconds. Wind consistency improves, with ideal conditions around 31-38% of the time. September and October experience the opposite – the start of the wind shift with more variable directions. While powerful S and SSE swells still roll in (1.8m avg height), the wind window is tighter, dropping to 35% in Sept and 28% in Oct. You'll have to be selective, but when a cold front clears the air and a W to NW wind sets in, the resulting surf can be well worth the wait. The key is patience – these months deliver quality over quantity.

Low Surf Season (December - February)

Austral summer is the slowest period for New Pier. The average swell height dips to 1.6m, and periods drop below 9 seconds, resulting in a lot of average, choppy, and inconsistent days. The real killer is the wind. The South Indian Ocean subtropical high strengthens, pumping persistent NE to ENE winds straight onshore (up to 20% of the time from NE alone in January). These onshore flows ruin the wave quality, making the surf sectiony and bumpy. Ideal wind conditions bottom out at 26-27% of the time. While the occasional E swell can produce fun-sized, rippable surf, the overall picture is small and messy. It is a fine time for a travel elsewhere, but for the dedicated local, dawn patrol on a light offshore will still yield some groveling waves.

October: Unreliable, but Potential

October is the most inconsistent month of the fair season. Average swell height is 1.8m with a period of 9.2s – average wave quality. Swell directions are dominated by E (15.9%), ESE (13.8%), and SSE (17.1%), with S (15.9%) also strong. The wind is increasingly onshore, with ideal conditions only 28% of the time. Onshore NE (18.3%) and ENE (11.6%) are stubborn, while offshore WSW (2.0%) and W (1.1%) are scarce. However, when a strong SW wind (7.0%) does blow, it can turn a mediocre E swell into clean, lined-up waves in the 1.5-2m range. These are the exception, not the rule. October requires constant checking of the forecast and a willingness to bail if the wind shifts onshore.