Picnic Tables • Statistics for October

October: The Season Kicks Into Gear

October marks the true beginning of the high season. Average swell height climbs to 2.8ft (0.9m), the period sits at a solid 8.5s, and the swell direction shifts hard into ENE, which accounts for a massive 43 percent of all observations. E adds 22, NE adds 20 and ESE adds 4 percent, meaning over 88 percent of the waves are coming from the optimum NE through ESE window. This is the month when the frequency of 3-5ft (1-1.5m) and even 5-6ft (1.5-2m) ENE groundswell starts to become a regular feature.

Wind is still the unfortunate trade-off. NE and ENE are the top wind directions at 13 and 18 percent respectively, and with E at 14 percent, the onshore flow is strong. Ideal offshore wind sits at only 11 percent. Yet the sheer amount of E/ENE groundswell means that even slightly imperfect conditions can still produce fun, punchy surf, especially when the wind eases overnight or backs into a westerly quadrant. Water temp is a pleasant 27.1°C, air temps average 25.1°C, and rainfall drops to 3.92 mm/day.