Reef

both

Level 4/10

Boston Bay

Portland, Jamaica

🪸Sharp reef👥Crowded

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Boston Bay is Jamaica's most popular surf spot—a reef break in Portland parish that offers both gentle waves for learners and hollow sections for more experienced surfers. The nearby jerk centers add to the authentic Jamaican experience.

Boston Bay surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Poor

0.8mESE@7s

9km/h

0.8m@7s

9km/h

Thu5

Poor

0.7mESE@7s

5km/h

0.7m@7s

5km/h

Fri6

Poor

0.5mESE@7s

3km/h

0.5m@7s

3km/h

Sat7

Poor

0.3mESE@7s

4km/h

0.3m@7s

4km/h

Sun8

Poor

0.3mENE@6s

6km/h

0.3m@6s

6km/h

Mon9

Poor

0.6mNE@6s

5km/h

0.6m@6s

5km/h

Tue10

Poor

0.5mNE@5s

5km/h

0.5m@5s

5km/h

Wed11

Poor

0.7mESE@9s

9km/h

0.7m@9s

9km/h

Thu12

Poor

1.1mSE@8s

16km/h

1.1m@8s

16km/h

Fri13

Poor

1.0mESE@8s

10km/h

1.0m@8s

10km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: AfternoonAM 11 km/h · PM 8 km/h · Tide at 5pm (0.4m)

Swell

0.8m

ESE(118°)

Score: 11/25

Period

Short period

Score: 2/25

Wind

9km/h

SE(125°)

Score: 16/25

Weather

26°C

0.6mm100%

First light 5:36amSunrise 6:06amSunset 5:31pmLast light 6:01pm

Windswell

0.3m@2s

Secondary

0.2m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell0.8m @7s ESE outside window

Wind9 km/h SE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 8:12am–2:00pm · through lowIdeal tide: mid

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

25°

26°

28°

26°

25°

24°

27°

26°

25°

24°

25°

28°

29°

26°

24°

27°

29°

26°

28°

30°

29°

27°

26°

28°

29°

28°

27°

26°

27°

28°

27°

26°

25°

26°

27°

30°

28°

25°

26°

30°

29°

25°

2m1.0

sec

swell

windkm/h

10g21

12g26

10g30

7g27

9g17

5g9

1g14

3g25

12g27

4g24

1g3

1g12

6g22

8g21

3g7

2g13

7g23

4g25

5g16

2g5

4g15

7g23

8g26

5g22

2g5

8g21

8g30

2g23

0g19

1g4

2g10

6g21

8g24

7g21

5g17

8g25

12g37

11g38

7g32

15g28

16g35

17g42

16g45

14g45

9g27

9g31

14g35

12g39

6g40

tidem

5:30am0.3m

11:10am0.2m

5:10pm0.4m

6:10am0.4m

12:10pm0.2m

5:50pm0.3m

7:00am0.4m

1:00pm0.2m

6:10pm0.3m

7:30am0.4m

2:00pm0.2m

6:30pm0.3m

1:00am0.1m

8:15am0.4m

2:50pm0.1m

7:10pm0.2m

1:30am0.0m

8:50am0.3m

3:50pm0.1m

7:50pm0.2m

2:00am0.0m

9:30am0.3m

4:00pm0.1m

8:00pm0.2m

2:10am0.0m

10:00am0.3m

5:00pm0.1m

8:30pm0.1m

2:50am0.0m

10:50am0.3m

Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

5:30 am

High · 0.34m

11:10 am

Low · 0.17m

5:10 pm

High · 0.36m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction0/25

Swell Size11/25

Swell Period2/25

Wind16/25

Raw Score29/100

Adjustments

💨 Gusty Wind-4

⚠️ Weak Component-10

Adjusted Score15/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score15

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to KIN, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell0.8m @7s ESE outside window

Wind9 km/h SE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: NE (45°)
Direction range: 20° - 80°
Size range: 0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: S (180°)
Offshore range: 150° - 210°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.6m - 1.5m

Water temp

27°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Portland parish. Jamaica's surf hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Boston Bay?

Boston Bay is a reef break in Portland, Jamaica, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Boston Bay?

Boston Bay picks up swell from the NNE round to the E, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NE. It starts working at around 0.8m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.6 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Boston Bay?

A S wind is dead offshore at Boston Bay, and anything from the SSE round to the SSW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Boston Bay?

Boston Bay is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.6m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Boston Bay?

The most reliable run of swell at Boston Bay comes Nov to Mar. There's a second window in Sep to Oct too. Jamaica's most popular. Gentle waves, hollow tubes before long ride.

How cold is the water at Boston Bay?

The water at Boston Bay averages around 27°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Boston Bay good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 4/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (5/10) when it's on. Jamaica's most popular. Gentle waves, hollow tubes before long ride.