Crash Boat • Statistics for December

December: Peak Season Power

December is the crown jewel of Crash Boat's surf season. The average swell height reaches its annual max at 1.6m (5-6ft) and the period pins at 10.0s. The wave rose shows NE dominance at 42.9%, NNE at 24.3% and ENE at 19.9%, with a notable share of larger waves in the 1.5-2m and 2-2.5m brackets. These are the biggest, longest-period swells of the year, generated by the powerful extratropical storms rolling across the North Atlantic. Even though the direction is from the north-east quadrant, the west-facing shelf of Crash Boat can transform this energy into steep, wedging lefts once the period is over 9 seconds.

Winds, however, are the challenge in December. The ideal-wind rating drops to 38%, the lowest of the year. ENE still leads with 46.9%, E accounts for 19.9% and NE 15.9%, but the winds can blow harder and with occasional gusts during cold front passages. Still, when the post-frontal offshore flow sets in, the surface turns glassy and the winter swell lines up beautifully. Air temps stay warm at 25.5°C and water temps remain a pleasant 27.3°C, making December look and feel like the perfect tropical surf escape.