Shoals Point • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic roars to life in October, and from then through March Shoals Point sees its most consistent and powerful surf. Average swell heights climb into the 8-10ft (2.4-3.0m) range with periods frequently at 11-12s, driven by a steady parade of extratropical cyclones and nor'easters. A negative NAO pattern can be especially productive, parking a blocking high near Greenland and forcing the storm track down the East Coast. The catch is that the most energetic swell often arrives from the W/SW, wrapping into this SE-facing corner, while true E through SSE swell remains a rarer bonus. The real filter is wind: ideal offshore W-NW flow only occurs 14-20% of the time, usually behind cold fronts. When those windows align with a long-period groundswell, Shoals Point offers the heaviest, most rewarding surf of the year.

Fair Surf Season (April - May, September)

April and May are classic spring transition months: winter swells still pulse through the water, but the average size drops to 5-7ft (1.7-2.2m) and offshore NW winds become much more frequent and lighter. These are often the cleanest, most user-friendly swells of the year, even if they lack the raw power of winter. September mirrors that energy in reverse, as tropical remnants and early-autumn lows push wave heights back up to around 6ft (1.9m). However, onshore E/SE winds also start to build, so you have to pick your windows carefully. These shoulder months reward flexibility and a close eye on the wind forecast.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

June, July, and August are the low season in terms of wave height at Shoals Point. Average swells shrink to a modest 4-5ft (1.3-1.4m), periods shorten to around 10s, and the swell spectrum is dominated by small SW/WSW energy. The saving grace is the wind: ideal offshore W-NW flow peaks at 43-46%, giving the point long stretches of smooth, glassy conditions. It is excellent small-wave surfing, especially for longboards, but the heavy water stays mostly out of the equation. The one wildcard is late-summer tropical activity, when E/SE hurricane swell can briefly wake the point out of its summer slumber.