Watergate Bay • Statistics for April

April: Cleaner Winds and Shoulder Season Swells

April is where the quality-to-size ratio becomes interesting. Average swell height eases to 4ft (1.3m) and average period drops to 10.2s, but the chance of ideal wind jumps to 27%, the highest of the year. That extra offshore wind frequency is the big story. The swell direction remains ideal, with W at 37.2%, WNW at 16.9%, and WSW at 12.6%, so the bay is still pointing into the Atlantic. Most waves fall in the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) range, with some 5-6ft (1.5-2m) sets on the better days. The shorter period means less raw power, but the cleaner surface often makes these waves more rippable and fun than the stormy midwinter grind. Spring weather brings an average air temp of 9.6°C, water temp of 10.1°C, and precipitation of 2.45mm/day. A 4/3 wetsuit is still the norm, but spring sunshine makes dawn patrols far more pleasant.