Faja da Areia Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m Rusty, and I’m looking at the charts for Faja da Areia, and I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a real mixed bag. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, messy stuff before a possible little window of something better right at the end.

Right now, starting Thursday the 16th, it’s flat. Tiny waves around 1ft to 1ft coming from the NNE, with a short period. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 74°. The energy is super weak (36). It’s pretty much a lake out there. No surf to speak of.

This quiet spell hangs around for a good long while. From Thursday the 16th right through to the 22nd, we’re in the doldrums. Swell heights barely creep past 3ft, with periods mostly under 8 seconds. The combined energy stays low, only hitting moderate numbers (140) around the 21st. The wind is a persistent cross-onshore from the NE, which is not doing us any favours. It’s a frustrating stretch. The forecast says "poor surf conditions" for almost every session.

Then, we get a slight lift. Around Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, the swell picks up a bit, hitting 4ft to 5ft, still from the NNE. The period stretches to 7-8 seconds, and the energy gets into the 200-260 range. It’s more "marginal" than "good," but it’s a step up. The wind is still mostly cross-onshore, though, so it’s not going to be clean.

We slide back into a flat patch again from the 24th to the 27th. Swell drops back to 5ft but with a short period of 6 seconds, and the energy falls off. More poor conditions.

Now, here’s the one that has my attention. On the very last day of the month, Friday the 31st of July, we see a pulse. Swell hits 5ft to 5ft, but the key is the period – it jumps to 12 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and it’s coming from the NNW, which is the optimum direction for this break. The combined energy shoots up to 930-945, which is a serious sign of power. The wind is still cross-onshore, which is a shame, but for that part of the world, a 12-second NNW swell is a standout. It’s a long-range call, so keep your fingers crossed, but if it lines up, it’ll be the best wave we’ve seen in this whole forecast.

The rest of the 29th and 30th will be building towards that, with a NW swell and moderate energy, but still on the cross-onshore side.

So, the honest truth? For the first week and a half, you’re better off doing something else. The real chance, the only real chance, is that Friday the 31st. It’s a long shot, but it’s the one.

Rusty.

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