Cantinho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

First off, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the 16-day window for Cantinho is a real tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of pretty average to poor conditions, so don’t get your hopes up for anything epic. The main issue is the wind. For the first week and a half, it’s mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and that’s going to chop up any rideable swell that comes through. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We’ve got a bit of a gap at the start. Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are a write-off. It’s just small, weak, and blown out. Swell energy is weak, sitting around 50 to 87, and the period is short, so there’s no power or shape. Saturday the 25th sees a jump in swell height to 5ft to 6ft from the NW, with moderate energy (228 to 293), but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph, making it lumpy and messy. Not worth paddling out.

Sunday the 26th is the biggest day of the first week, with swell hitting 7ft from the NNW and strong energy (507). But again, the wind is a fresh cross-shore to cross-onshore at 19 mph, creating a lumpy, choppy mess. This is one for the experts only, and even then, it’s not clean. The short 7 to 8 second period means it’s going to be a bumpy, closing-out affair.

Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th offer the best chance for a surf, but it’s still just marginal. On Monday morning, we’ve got a 5ft NNW swell with moderate energy (344) and a gentle cross-shore breeze. That’s the cleanest wind we’ll see for a while, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” Tuesday morning sees a similar 5ft NW swell (9-second period, 371 energy) with a light cross-onshore breeze. It’s not great, but it’s the best we’ve got. For a beginner-friendly point break like Cantinho, the 5ft to 5ft swell is on the bigger side, so be cautious.

After that, it’s back to poor conditions. The rest of the week and into the first week of August is a mix of onshore wind and messy surf. We see a glimmer on Sunday, August 2nd, with a 6ft NNW swell and a 9-second period pushing strong energy (529), but the wind is a moderate cross-onshore, and the wave comment is still “marginal” at best. It’s a long-range call, so don’t bank on it.

Honestly, if you’re desperate, Monday morning the 27th or Tuesday morning the 28th are your best bets. The swell is rideable, the wind is light, and the energy is decent. But this is a period where the forecast can change, so keep an eye on it. It’s not often this flat and blown out for so long.

Rusty.

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