Turtles - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (May - September)

The heart of the dry season brings the Indian Ocean to life with a powerful pulse of long-period groundswell. During these months, the trade winds lock in from the east-northeast quadrant, blowing strong and consistently offshore – grooming the waves into pristine, hollow walls. Average swell heights climb to 2.0-2.2m with periods of 14s, originating mostly from the S-SSW direction. While the ideal swell angle for Turtles is SW-W, the sheer size and energy of these southerly pulses, combined with glassy conditions, deliver some of the most surfable and exciting waves of the year. Consistent offshore winds dominate 56 to 82 percent of the time, making this the prime window for dedicated surf trips.

Fair Surf Season (March, April, October, November)

These transition months straddle the shift between monsoon regimes and offer a mixed bag of conditions. March and December see the tail end of the wet season, with onshore westerly winds still frequent, but the swell direction often swings into the optimal SW-W band, giving high-quality, if less frequent, clean waves. April, October, and November are characterized by a strengthening or fading easterly flow, creating many days of offshore wind – especially in November – but the swell direction tends to favor S-SSW, which is less direct. Wave heights average 1.6-1.9m with long periods, so when the swell angle lines up with a clear wind window, the surf can be world-class.

Low Surf Season (December - February)

The northwest monsoon season sets up a challenging environment for Turtles. Persistent onshore winds from the NW-WNW dominate the wind rose, blowing over 60% of the time, which chops up the wave faces. Swell is still present – mostly from the SSW-SW range with average heights of 1.6-1.7m and periods of 12s – but the wind-ruined conditions severely limit quality. Ideal offshore days account for only 17-19% of the time. This is the quietest period for surf, best suited for those chasing the rare clean window or happy with marginal, windy waves.

March: Transitional Hope

March marks the beginning of the transition away from the monsoon. Onshore winds from NW and WNW still dominate (combined 35.5%), but the easterlies begin to pick up, with E (5.8%), ESE (9.0%), and SE (7.5%) gaining ground. Ideal wind percentage jumps to 38%, offering more frequent clean conditions. Swell height remains at 1.6m but the period lengthens to an impressive 13.0s, indicating more powerful groundswell. Direction is heavily weighted toward SSW (56.4%), with a decent chunk of SW (16.3%). While the dominant swell angle is slightly off-optimal, when the wind aligns from the east, the result is rippable, long-period waves with good shape. This month is the first ray of hope for quality surf.