Faja da Areia Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and settle in, because I’ve been staring at the charts for your area. I’m looking at Faja da Areia, a point break that’s rated as a beginner spot, but it’s inconsistent – it rarely cranks. There’s a bit of a run of small, messy surf ahead, but there’s a glimmer of something interesting way out there.

The overall pattern for the next 16 days starts with a whole lot of nothing good. For the first week, from Wednesday 22 July right through to about Monday 3 August, the surf is mostly poor to marginal. The wind is a persistent cross-on from the north or northeast, blowing at 6 to 9 mph, which is keeping the ocean pretty choppy. The swell is small, generally between 4 ft and 6 ft, coming from the north-northeast, but the period is short – 6 to 8 seconds. That’s just windswell, not groundswell, so it’s weak and crumbly. The combined energy is moderate, mostly in the 150-300 range, but the quality is just not there. The water temperature is 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only highlight.

There is a bit of a gap in the middle of the week from 29 July through to 3 August where the swell drops off even more, down to 4 ft or less, and the period gets even shorter. It’s just a flat, blank run for a few days there. Honestly, it’s looking more like a kiteboarding window than a surf session for most of this period.

But hold on – now for the interesting part. On Tuesday 4 August, the swell direction swings around to the west-northwest with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, with more energy (combined energy of 213). The wave height is only 2 ft, but that long period should give it some shape. The wind is from the north-northeast at 6 mph, so it’s a light cross-on, turning to onshore. This is still marginal, but it’s the best the week has to offer. The following day, Wednesday 5 August, the swell is from the northwest at 3 ft with a 10-second period, and the wind is light cross-on. The combined energy sits at 234. It’s not firing, but it’s rideable for a beginner point break.

The real standout? If you’re looking for the best on offer, it’s the afternoon of Tuesday 4 August and the morning of Wednesday 5 August. The swell is small, but the direction is finally right for this spot (optimum is NNW), and the period is long enough to get some glide. The wind is light, so it’ll be cleaner than the rest of the week. Don’t expect barrels, but expect a few fun, long waves. Keep in mind, this is a rare break, so it could be worth a look if you’re local.

The second week, from 6 August onwards, fades back into small, short-period windswell from the north-northeast. Nothing to write home about.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off for quality surf. The standout is the Tuesday 4 August afternoon and Wednesday 5 August morning, with a long-period groundswell from the west-northwest. It’s small, but it’s the only window with a pulse. After that, it’s back to the waiting game.

Stay frothy, and keep an eye on the sky.

- Rusty

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