Cantinho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, we’re looking at a pretty grim run at Cantinho for the first ten days or so. The water is sitting at 67°F, which is about average for this time of year, but that’s where the good news ends. From Saturday the 1st right through to Monday the 10th of August, it’s all poor surf conditions. The swell is tiny, mostly around 2 ft to 3 ft, and the wind is constantly cross-onshore, making it bumpy and chopped out. The combined wave energy stays weak to moderate, rarely breaking 200 (179) and often dropping much lower. There’s just nothing here to get excited about.

That gap of poor conditions stretches all the way until Tuesday the 11th of August. That’s when we finally see a tiny flicker of life. Tuesday morning looks glassy—a rare treat—with a 4 ft swell from the NNW, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it won’t have much push. The combined energy is still weak (111) and the waves are described as “surfable but very ordinary.” Not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve seen.

Wednesday the 12th of August morning is also glassy, with a 3 ft NNW swell and a 6-second period. Again, it’s just ordinary. The energy is a bit higher (181), but it’s still weak.

The most promising window comes later, around Thursday the 13th of August. The morning shows a 5 ft swell from the NNW with a period of 8 seconds, and light cross-onshore breeze. The combined energy jumps to 312 (moderate), and while it’s still not perfect, it’s the biggest and most energetic we’ve seen. The wind is light, so it might be clean enough to get a few. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th see the swell pushing up to 6 ft from the NNW, with a period of 9 seconds and energy over 500 (559). That’s moderate to strong energy, but the wind is strong cross-onshore (15–22 mph), making it choppy and lumpy. This is more for the experienced crew—bigger, but messy.

The windy, lumpy conditions continue right through to Sunday the 16th of August, with the swell dropping back to 3 ft and energy falling off a cliff.

So, if you’re looking for a standout, it’s Thursday the 13th of August morning at Cantinho. It’s not world-class, but it’s the best combination of size (5 ft), energy (312), and light wind. The swell direction is NNW, which is decent for this spot. Remember, this is a long-range call, so it’s promising but not locked in. For the rest of the run, save your energy.

Rusty.

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