Spessard Holland • Statistics for October

October: Big Swells, Onshore Bias

October is the heavyweight month at Spessard Holland. The average swell height reaches 0.9m (3ft) and the period sits at 8.5s, but the more telling stat is the directional distribution: ENE delivers a massive 43% of all swell, with NE at 20% and E at 21%. This is a heavily ENE/NE-biased month, which is exactly the window the beach is built to absorb. Solid 3-5ft (1-1.5m) ENE swell is plentiful, 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m) sets are routine on the better days, and there is always the potential for a hurricane swell to ramp things up dramatically.

Unfortunately, October also brings the worst wind statistics of the fall. Ideal offshore flow only blows 14% of the time, with persistent ENE/NE winds clocking in at a combined 33%. This means many days have the right size but the wrong surface-bumpy, crumbly, and windblown. The trick is finding the 12-hour window right after a cold front passes, when the wind swings to the W/SW quadrant and the ENE groundswell still has size. With an average air temp of 76°F (24.6°C) and water temp at 81°F (27.2°C), a 3/2 wetsuit is all you need.