October in the Bahamas usually means blustery weather as the jet stream dips and winter fronts push cool air and accompanying winds into our island chain. That means be ready to wait out the blown-out days, but stay loose and ready to pounce when that wind lets up and the swell those same fronts push down is still pumping. Average swell heights are sizable – lest we forget the Perfect Storm swell of 1991 was in October. The water begins to cool and wetsuit tops begin to come in handy. Tropical systems remain a possibility, but the Bahamas gets more swell this month from low pressure pushing off the eastern United States, than spinning storm systems out in the Atlantic. Instead of waiting out the frontal northeasterlies explore for spots pointing south where north swell may find its way into and the wind is not onshore. Or, hit some of the beach breaks in places like Abaco where some big, wedgey peaks are the result of onshore winds.
While October is off-season in the Bahamas, there’s still surf and plenty else going on. The North Eleuthera Regatta is held Oct. 10 through 15 in famous Harbour Island. Mt. Thompson and Williams Town settlements in Exuma host small festivals that same weekend. In Nassau, the 17th Annual International Cultural Festival is held at the Botanical Gardens Oct. 20-21.
Looking forward to seeing you in Eleuthera soon!
FORECAST BY: Tom Glucksmann, Manager
Bahamas Out Island Adventures & Surfer’s Haven Guesthouse
Eleuthera, Bahamas
Phone: (242) 335-0349 or (242) 551-9635
Email: tom@bahamasadventures.com
www.bahamasadventures.com