Ingonish Beach

Best Surf Season (November - March)

The North Atlantic comes alive from November through March, and Ingonish Beach sits right in the firing line of this Northwest Atlantic storm machine. Deep extratropical lows and Arctic fronts roll through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, driving average surf heights from 1.6m (5ft) up to 1.9m (6ft) with periods sitting around 7-7.5 seconds. The wind regime is dominated by strong W, WNW and NW flow, which is offshore for this east-facing beach, so clean windows are often on offer between systems. The catch is winter: water temperatures hover near or below freezing in February and March, and Arctic air pushes air temps deep into negative territory. When a negative NAO pattern buckles the jet stream and directs strong coastal lows toward Atlantic Canada, Ingonish can light up with punchy, head-high-plus surf. This is the season for serious surfers who are willing to earn their waves in the cold.