Wishing Well - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Pacific winter machine fires up consistently from October through March, delivering a steady diet of mid-period to long-period swell from the northeast quadrant. While Wishing Well faces west, the dominant swell energy arrives from NNE-ENE, wrapping into the cove or refracting off local bathymetry to produce a punchy, rideable wave. Average swell heights sit in the 1.2-1.6m range with periods of 10 seconds, offering plenty of fun-sized to solid surf. Offshore wind conditions are driven by cool high-pressure systems over the interior, which funnel east-northeast winds across the coastline – ideal for grooming the faces. The combination of reliable swell and favorable wind makes these six months the prime window for clean, rippable waves at Wishing Well.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September serve as transitional months, bridging the winter peak and summer lull. Swell heights drop slightly to the 1.1-1.3m range, but wave periods remain solid at 9-10 seconds, so there is still plenty of push for a grovel board or a shortboard. Offshore wind likelihood increases to 54-68%, thanks to the breakdown of strong winter gradients and the onset of lighter spring/fall patterns. While the size is not as consistent as winter, these months offer epic windows of clean, punchy surf when the right combination of northeast groundswell and east wind aligns.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

Summer months are the leanest period for Wishing Well as the Pacific storm track retreats north and the dominant swell direction shifts even more toward the northeast with shorter periods (6-9s). Average wave heights hover around 1.0m, consisting mostly of windswell and small background pulses. The good news is that offshore east winds become the norm (51-68% of the time), but the lack of size and period makes for mostly small, fun-sized days suited to high-volume boards. Occasional tropical storms or distant swells can spike the energy, but generally this is a low-energy season where patience or a log is required to make the most of it.

December: Maximum Swell Size, Tougher Wind Battle

December delivers the largest average swell of the year – 1.6m with a 10.0s period. The swell is heavily weighted toward NE (42.9%) and NNE (24.3%), with a significant chunk of waves in the pumping to firing 1.5-2.5m range. The trade-off is that ideal wind conditions hit their annual low at 39%. Strong high-pressure systems set up east-to-northeast winds that can be brisk (20-30kph common, with gust over 40kph 9% of the time). Despite the wind, the raw energy is undeniable, and on the rare lighter wind days the surf can be XL-level with long, grinding walls. The north component in the swell (NNW + N = 7.6%) can add some wrap-around but is secondary. If you are willing to pick your windows carefully, December offers the deepest, most powerful waves of the year at Wishing Well – but you will have to work for them.