Farol Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up about what’s on offer around Farol.

We’re looking at a real flat spell, mate. The first few days are a write-off. Wednesday morning kicks things off with a weak, short-period 4ft ENE windswell, but with a cross-onshore breeze from the east at 12 mph, it's messy and choppy. Combined swell energy is only 79 (weak), and the period is a snappy 6 seconds – no power, no shape. That sets the tone for the whole first week. The wind stays onshore or cross-on the whole time, with speeds picking up to 19 mph in the afternoons. The water temperature is 82°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but you won’t feel it through that chop.

Thursday and Friday are more of the same: 4ft to 5ft of short-period junk, with moderate to fresh breezes ruining any chance of a clean face. The combined energy does climb into the low-to-mid 100s (moderate), but with the onshore wind, it’s just a washing machine.

We have a gap of several days here with no real recommendation. Saturday through Monday morning (the 7th) are basically the same story – small, weak, and wind-affected. The period drops back to 5 seconds on some of those afternoons, which is barely a ripple.

Now, there are a couple of afternoons that *might* offer a bit more size, but the conditions will still be poor. On Thursday the 12th, we see 5ft from the NE in the afternoon, with moderate energy (134), but the wind is onshore at 19 mph. Not worth getting excited about.

The only flicker of something different comes around Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th. The morning of the 9th has a 4ft ENE swell with a period stretching to 7 seconds, and combined energy hits 158 (moderate). It’s still cross-on, but that longer period is a hint of a slightly better shaped wave. Still, with a moderate easterly breeze, it’s far from clean.

The best I can honestly point to is the afternoon of the 12th of September. The swell hits 5ft from the NE, combined energy is 206 (moderate), and while the period is only 5 seconds, that’s the strongest energy reading of the whole run. But don’t get your hopes up – the wind is a fresh onshore breeze at 19 mph, so it’ll be lumpy and blown out. This is a spot that’s exposed to the north, so these northeasterly swells have the right direction, but the wind is just cruel.

For a beginner-plus spot like Farol, a 5ft swell isn’t too big to handle, but with the onshore wind, it’s not going to be a friendly wave. The consistency is fair, but the quality is just not there.

Overall, this is a tough run. There are no clean, glassy mornings or proper offshores in the forecast. The best we can say is that the second week has a tiny bit more energy, but the wind just won't cooperate. Looks like a good time to check the kite gear if you've got it, because the paddle surfing is going to be a grind. Keep an eye on it, but don’t rearrange your week for it.

Rusty.

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