Farol da Barra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer at Farol da Barra.

First thing you need to know is this break is dedicated to the intermediate crew. It’s a point break, exposed to the swell, and it doesn’t fire all that often. For the first week and a half we’re looking at a real mixed bag, with only a couple of windows that look truly worth paddling out. After that, it gets messy for a long stretch.

The period kicks off on Wednesday, July 8. Morning session is small but rideable. Swell is a clean 2ft from the SSE with a nice long 12-second period, giving the waves some shape. Water temp is sitting at 79°, which is about average for this time of year. The wind is a slight cross-offshore from the NW, so the surface is clean. Combined energy is moderate (195). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Thursday, July 9, sees a bump in size: 4ft from the SSE in the morning, still with a 12-second period. The energy jumps to 390 (moderate), but the wind turns cross-shore from the east, putting a bit of chop on the face. Afternoon goes cross-onshore and choppy. Not terrible, but not great.

Friday, July 10, is pretty ordinary too. Morning gets light cross-onshore rain showers with 4ft SSE swell and an 11-second period. Energy is still moderate (370). But the wind kills the quality.

Now, Saturday, July 11 – this is where things get interesting. The morning window is the standout for the entire 16-day run. Swell is 4ft from the SE, period stretching out to 13 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 570. Most importantly, the wind is offshore from the NNW – light and clean. This is a point break and that SSE-to-SE swell direction matches up perfectly with the break’s optimum. Expect well-shaped, powerful waves. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so get in early.

Sunday, July 12 morning isn’t bad either – 3ft SE swell, 12-second period, offshore from the north, and clean conditions. Energy is moderate (293). A solid backup if Saturday morning is too crowded.

After that, from Sunday afternoon right through to Wednesday, July 15, the surf drops away. Swell sizes shrink down to 2ft to 2ft with short, weak periods. Winds turn onshore or cross-shore, and the conditions are poor. Energy drops below 100 on Wednesday – really weak.

Thursday, July 16 morning is glassy with a 3ft SSE swell and a short, weak 7-second period. It’s clean but barely has any push. Energy is only 140.

The next real hope comes on Friday, July 17 morning. Swell picks up to 3ft from the SSE with a 12-second period, and the wind is light cross-offshore from the east. The combined energy jumps back up to a strong 540. That’s a promising session, clean and with enough period to make the waves fun on that point. Still, it’s over a week away, so keep an eye on the forecast.

From Friday afternoon onward, it’s a long stretch of poor conditions. The wind cranks up from the east and southeast, often 19-31 mph, cross-shore or cross-onshore, keeping the surface lumpy and choppy. Even though swell sticks around between 3ft and 6ft through July 20-23, the periods get short (8 seconds or less) and the wind ruins any chance of quality. For the last few days, especially July 22 and 23, the swell gets bigger – up to 6ft on Thursday morning – but with fresh onshore wind and short period, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Saturday, July 11 morning – clean, solid groundswell, offshore wind, and good energy. Friday, July 17 morning is a close second, but it’s a week and a half out, so treat that as promising but not locked in. Everything else is either small, choppy, or blown out.

Rusty.

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