Barrinha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let's get into it for the local stretch.

We're looking at a pretty quiet start to the forecast window for Barrinha (beach and reef). There's a bit of a false dawn early on, but don't be fooled. The real action, if you can call it that, starts to build later in the week and into the second week. The first few days are a bit of a write-off for a decent paddle. After that, we get a building trend, but it comes with some messy wind.

The water's sitting around 73°F, which is pretty much bang on for this time of year, so no need to dig out the thick rubber just yet.

Let's break it down day by day. Sunday the 2nd has a tiny 2ft S swell with a 10-second period and a light NE cross-off. It's clean, but the energy is weak (118). It's surfable, but you'll be fighting for small, weak waves. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th are similar, with small, messy E windswell. The wind is cross-off, but the swell is tiny and disorganised, so it's not really worth the effort.

Wednesday the 5th morning is the first real glimmer of hope. The swell picks up to 3ft from the S with a proper 12-second period, and the energy is now moderate (361). The NE cross-off wind is light, making for clean conditions. This is technically the best of the first week, but it's still not a standout. The afternoon gets ruined by a cross-shore breeze.

Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th are a step back. Swell drops again, and while Friday morning has a glassy offshore NNE breeze, the swell is tiny at 1ft. A long period of 12 seconds, but just not enough juice.

We hit a bit of a lull. Saturday the 8th through to Sunday the 9th are very small. The highlight is Sunday afternoon, which goes glassy with a 4ft SSW swell, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it's lumpy. The energy is moderate (253), but it's probably not the best session.

Now, from Monday the 10th of August, things get interesting, but it's a mixed bag. The swell really kicks in. Monday morning sees a 8ft SSW swell with a long 14-second period, and the energy is very strong (2070). It's a clean, cross-off wind from the WSW. This is big, powerful groundswell. For a beach and reef break, this long period (14 seconds) can make it wall up and break a bit straight, it's best for those with a bit of experience. It's a solid option for the more experienced crew. The afternoon gets a cross-onshore wind, making it choppy.

Tuesday the 11th is even bigger, with 8ft SSW swell, but it's an onshore wind with light rain. The energy is massive (2564), but the conditions are rough. This is more of a challenge than a treat. Wednesday the 12th is similar, with a big 8ft S swell and a cross-shore wind. The energy is 2499. It's still big, and the wind is not helping. Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th see the swell drop a bit to 6ft, but the wind is cross-off and clean. The energy is still moderate (921). The rain is a nuisance.

The real standout, and the best on offer in the whole 16-day window, is the morning of Monday the 10th. The 8ft SSW swell with a 14-second period and that clean, offshore breeze is your best bet. The other days in the second week are either too big with bad wind, or too small. For the bigger days, if you're not a solid surfer, it's a spectator sport or a day for the bodyboard. The wind is going to be a problem on many of the bigger days. If you're a kite surfer, the combination of strong wind and clean swell on the 13th and 14th could be more interesting than a paddle session.

So, that's the story. A slow start, a peak of big, clean swell on the 10th, and then a messy, windy end to the second week. Stay keen, but pick your window.

Rusty.

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