Bahia Santa Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

We’ve got a slow start and a slow finish, but the middle of this 16-day window has some real promise. The surf starts off clean but drops fast, then builds back with some serious potential right around the first week of August.

The first surf worth paddling out for is at Bahia Santa Cruz on Thursday morning the 30th. It's a 5ft SSW groundswell with a 14-second period, giving it proper push and shape. The combined wave energy is a solid moderate (888). The wind is dead calm, glassy, and the water is running warm at 87°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice little tropical touch. The offshore direction is N, so it’s clean. This is a good, fun-sized wave for an intermediate surfer. The crowd factor is "sometimes," so expect company but not madness.

Friday morning the 31st is a strong follow-up with similar conditions: 4ft SSW swell, still a decent 13-second period, combined energy of 609, and glassy conditions with an ENE breeze. Another worthy morning session before the wind swings onshore in the afternoon.

From Saturday the 1st through Monday the 4th, the swell drops off significantly, bottoming out around 2ft to 2ft. Not worth getting wet for unless you’re desperate. The combined energy dips into the 200-400 range, which is weak. The afternoons get chopped up by onshore wind anyway.

Things start flickering back to life on Tuesday morning the 5th with a 2ft SW groundswell and a very long 15-second period. It’s glassy, which is nice, but the size is really small. The energy is still low (243). For the true beginner or a longboard, maybe, but not a standout.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday morning the 7th of August is a real highlight. We get a 3ft SSW groundswell but with a pumping 18-second period. That's some seriously long-period energy that will wrap into the bay with a lot of power for its size. The combined energy jumps to 710. Glassy conditions with a light SSE breeze. This one could be very special – the kind of wave where the sets feel way bigger than the height suggests. This is the first of the real standouts.

Saturday morning the 8th of August is the pick of the entire outlook. A 4ft SSW swell with a long 16-second period, combined energy of 764, and completely flat calm conditions (NW, 0 km/h). The water will be a clean, inviting surface. This is the session to circle in red. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," but with waves this clean and a good swell direction, it’ll be popular.

Monday morning the 11th serves up another stellar morning: 3ft SSW groundswell, 13-second period, combined energy of 504, and dead glass conditions again. And then Wednesday morning the 12th gives us a 3ft SW groundswell with a 17-second period (energy 622) under calm skies. Another cracker. Thursday morning the 13th follows the same pattern: 4ft SW groundswell, 16-second period, energy at 725, and glassy.

After that, things fade. The morning of Friday the 14th is the last chance with a 4ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-shore and light, and the energy is lower (540). It's marginal. The week winds down with onshore winds and dropping swell.

Bottom line: Forget the first weekend and the first few days of the second week. Hit the morning sessions on Thursday 30th and Friday 31st, then lock in Saturday the 8th and the mornings of Monday the 11th through Thursday the 13th. The very best of the run is Saturday the 8th.

Stay wet, friends.
- Rusty

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