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.

January: Deep Winter Swell & Stiff East Winds

January kicks off the peak of winter with an average swell height of 1.5m and a solid 10-second period. The swell window is dominated by NNE and NE directions, which together account for over 54% of the total energy, while a notable chunk of ENE (25.5%) adds more east in the mix. Most of this swell falls in the fun to solid range (1-2m), with a good percentage of 2-2.5m sets. Wind conditions are less than ideal 59% of the time, but when the east-northeast breeze sets in (ENE is 41.3% of wind distribution), it blows directly offshore, grooming the waves into clean, lined-up faces. The persistent high pressure over the continent creates a steady pressure gradient, kicking up moderate to fresh ENE winds that can sometimes be too strong for optimal conditions. Still, on the lighter wind days (0-10kph from ENE), Wishing Well turns on with pumping, heavy surf that demands respect. The occasional NNW swell wrap (5.7%) adds a different angle but is less reliable.