The Pass (Byron Bay) Swell Window

NSW, Australia · part of the The Pass (Byron Bay) spot guide

Swell window (from): 70°–140° (ENE–SE)
Best direction: ~90° (E)
Period sweet spot: 10–15 s
Open-ocean height (Hs): 4–12 ft
Resulting faces: 2–8 ft

Open-ocean vs. the face: the heights on buoys and forecast models are significant wave height (Hs) in deep water. What you ride is the breaking face, which depends on period, direction and this break's bathymetry — that's why the two rows above differ. PierMonkey's spot ratings already do this conversion for you.

The Pass accepts a broad northeast-to-southeast arc but really wants an easterly component to wrap the cape — best size comes from east or east-northeast around 80–100°, while a southeast swell is the deepest wrap and softest. Period of 10 to 15 seconds lets it bend cleanly around the headland.

The face reads smaller than the open-ocean number — roughly half on a wrapped southeast swell and a bit more on a direct east one. The payoff is not size but the length of the ride.

The storm corridor

Typical swell corridor to The Pass (Byron Bay): Coral Sea and Tasman cyclones sending E-SE swell to wrap Cape Byron — Typical swell corridor (schematic straight line): Coral Sea and Tasman cyclones sending E-SE swell to wrap Cape Byron.