If you were wondering when the best time of year was to surf in Barbados, well this winter season will have you coming back to the island year after year in search of a winter as good as this one.
It may have started out slowly with a few poor North swell's that never made waves waist high but between Christmas and today the waves have been fantastic and on every side of the island.
Soup Bowl, Freight’s Bay, Brandon’s, South Point and Sandy Lane have all had their fair share of good waves this side of Christmas. Now, typically you will not have them all break on the same day just because a North swell cannot light up the South coast and vise versa. However, last weekend we had a huge north swell that lit up the entire West coast and the Soup Bowl. The very second it ended, Sunday night, the South coast was back in action with some of the best surf the South has had in years. Freight’s Bay had long lines of waves a little over head. The last time that happened was years ago and in the wake of a hurricane. Brandon’s, like Freight’s, broke for back to back day’s only come this Friday, today, is an end looming on the horizon. (Just for those who know not where Freight’s Bay is, it is, Cotton Bay on the map)
I can honestly say I have had the best time lately surfing both West and South Coast breaks. The swell has been fun and I have taken full advantage of the use of both longboards and shortboards to get the best out of every session at each and every break.
The Dread or Dead Jet Ski saw some action helping some of the team to get some “towing in” action done. The Jet Ski would have gotten to see some action at Mullins, Maycox, Duppies and support at Tropicana had the team not been on short staff. Inch Marlowe and the Soup Bowl being on the East had days in-between that were great, Soup Bowl more so than Inch Marlowe. However, the wind was a factor to consider for waves on the East coast and also the Soup Bowl will always find good waves from swell’s of different direction, however, the West coast only responds to swell from the North so surf there while you can!
Regarding forecast’s and swell or surf prediction, I shall say that website’s seem to be able to tell you when something is coming, vaguely how big it will be and guess at the quality. The problem with forecasting and predicting in the Caribbean is that there are so many more contributing factors affecting surf size and swell quality than there are around the mainland of say Europe of America. There is no real research for the Caribbean region regarding surf size and quality as there is with coastal weather conditions in the State’s. In short models for there do not work here! The best way to tell what the surf is like is look out of your window or drive to the break and look with your eye’s. this is all due to the physical attributes and features of the Windward isles.
The best waves of this past North swell belong to Kane Garrett for finding “Thunder” a break on the Southern end of the island that responds to a North swell. Kane Garrett had it all to himself and very over head! Jay Garrett took top honors for longboarding is sizeable waves and still drop knee and nose riding not to mention barrel cruising too. Russell Garrett must have taken the deepest barrel at the fastest break the West coast has to offer, Jordan’s, and did it in style and with the whole beach and rest of the line up cheering.
In closing, the best time of year to surf in Barbados is now. The best places in Barbados to surf are (Sandy Lane, Brandon’s, Jordan’s, Maycox, Mullins, Duppies, Soup Bowl, etc…) all over just wait on the swell and prediction for future waves is good and that they will be along shortly and finally regarding forecast’s and prediction’s a real surfer looks at the ocean.