Crash Boat • Statistics for May

May: The Summer Slump Begins

May is where Crash Boat shifts into the low-to-fair portion of the year. The average swell height falls to 1.1m (3.5ft) and the period shortens to 8.7s, indicating a switch from Atlantic groundswell to more locally generated trade-wind sea. ENE is now the clear swell leader at 37.9%, with NE at 26.0% and E at 17.5%. Wave heights concentrate heavily in the 0.5-1m and 1-1.5m ranges; for a west-facing beach, that means most days are small and somewhat bumpy as the easterly windswell doesn't break cleanly on the sandbars.

Winds continue to be mostly offshore - ENE 28.6%, E 27.2%, NE 12.1% - and the ideal-wind rating jumps to 64%. It's a frustrating dynamic: plenty of clean surface texture but not enough swell size or proper direction to create quality surfing. The water warms further to 27.9°C and average air temps reach 26.8°C, so it's still a nice beach day. If you're chasing waves, keep an eye out for the early-season tropical pulses that can occasionally nudge the swell direction toward the southwest.