Blacks Beach • Statistics for April

April: Long-Period South Swell Takes Over

April's wave rose clearly signals spring. WSW is the dominant direction at 40.6 percent, with W down to 33.2 percent and SW jumping to 21.5 percent. The average wave period actually rises to 13.3s, indicating that much of this energy is coming from distant Southern Hemisphere storms. That long-period swell can still wrap into Blacks with some quality, but the direction is far from ideal for a west-facing beach. The bigger issue is the wind: ideal offshore flow falls to just 19 percent, and onshore W and WSW winds dominate the daily pattern. Water temps reach 15.0°C (60°F), air temps average 15.6°C (60°F), and rain drops to 0.69 mm/day, so the ocean is pleasant. April rewards the diligent - those who wake before dawn to score a brief clean window before the seabreeze builds, or those who chase the occasional WNW groundswell that still sneaks through the spring storm track.