Cape Hatteras Swell Window
North Carolina, USA · part of the Cape Hatteras spot guide
- Swell window (from)
- 50°–200° (NE–SSW)
- Best direction
- ~100° (E)
- Period sweet spot
- 10–16 s
- Open-ocean height (Hs)
- 3–9 ft
- Resulting faces
- 2–12 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 Point is unusual because it works both ends of a wide window on different beaches: a north-to-northeast swell (Nor’easter direction) wraps onto the north side and lights the First’s lefts, while a south-to-southeast swell (hurricane direction) loads the south side and turns on the Third’s rights. An east-to-east-southeast swell hits the apex most directly and can light both.
Period is the quality filter — long-period 12-to-17-second groundswell refracts cleanly over the shoals and holds power, while short-period wind swell is abrupt and disorganized. The buoy reads offshore significant height; the face is boosted by refraction on a good long-period swell and choked when the shoals go chaotic on the biggest days.