Nahoon Reef • Statistics for May

May: The Southern Ocean Dialogue Takes Over

May delivers the first full month of true winter-grade surf at Nahoon Reef. Swell heights average 6-7ft (2.0m) and periods jump to 11.7s, indicating a more organised, far-travelled Southern Ocean groundswell. The directional picture turns increasingly south: SSW becomes the dominant source at 28.2 per cent, with a hefty 13.6 per cent at 1.5-2m and 10.0 per cent at 2-2.5m; S adds another 19.6 per cent. The E/ESE/SE/SSE window drops to 33.1 per cent, so Nahoon is now seeing a mix of head-on and more angled swell. The crucial improvement is wind. A full 43 per cent of the time the wind blows from a favourable or semi-favourable direction, with WSW at 16.2 per cent and SW at 10.3 per cent, while W, WNW, NW and NNW combine for around 27 per cent. This is reflected in much cleaner surf.

With only 1.01mm/day of rain, cool, crisp air at 20.0°C and water temperature still a workable 20.6°C, May often produces some of the most photogenic, glassy waves of the year. The combination of longer period, more size, and improving offshore flow makes this month a proper turning point for consistent quality.