Ferrugem Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up at Ferrugem. This is a very consistent sandbar set-up that can handle swell from the south-east, so we’ve got a decent window of activity ahead.

The water is running a bit colder than normal for this time of year, coming in at 63°, so you might want a decent spring suit.

We start off with a real gem. Wednesday morning the 9th is looking sweet. The wind is glassy, coming light from the south, with a clean 3ft swell from the SSE. The period is a touch short at 10 seconds, but the combined energy is moderate (429). It’s a nice, clean start. The afternoon stays glassy with a similar 3ft SSE swell, but the period stretches to 12 seconds, giving it a bit more grunt and shape (energy 454). It’s a good day to be out.

Thursday the 10th keeps it tidy. The morning is clean with a light cross-off breeze from the NNE and 3ft of S swell. The afternoon is the pick of the day though – a light NE cross-off, 3ft of SSE swell, and a very long period of 15 seconds (energy 587). That’s proper groundswell, so the waves will be lined up and powerful, perfect for a sandbar that likes a bit of south in it.

Friday the 11th takes a step back. The wind picks up to 15 mph in the morning, and while it’s cross-off, the swell is from the ENE with a short, weak 8-second period. The energy drops (229), and it’s only marginal. By the afternoon, it’s a write-off with a risk of storms and poor conditions.

Saturday the 12th is a big one, but it’s a tricky one. The swell jumps to 8ft, but it’s from the SSW with a short period, and the wind is a fresh cross-shore at 19 mph. The energy is strong (1528), but that’s a messy, lumpy, high-energy chop. This is a beach-and-reef setup, and with that much wind, it’s honestly looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The afternoon is a total loss with onshore winds.

Sunday the 13th is a bit of a washout too. The swell is 6ft, but it’s onshore and choppy, with light rain. Not one to get excited about. Monday and Tuesday follow the same poor-to-marginal pattern with onshore winds and messy conditions.

We get a glimmer of hope on Thursday the 17th. The morning is clear, with a light cross-off from the NNE and a nice 5ft SSE swell at a long 12 seconds (energy 631). That’s a very good forecast. The afternoon gets a bit lumpy, but the morning session is a definite standout.

Friday the 18th morning is another clear standout. Glassy conditions, light cross-off wind from the north, and a 4ft SSE swell with a 12-second period. The energy is solid (829). It’s clean, it’s lined up, and it’s going to be fun.

After that, the energy drops off. The weekend of the 20th and 21st has some surfable, clean waves in the mornings, but the swell is weak and short-period (7 seconds), with low energy (164 and 200). It’s sessionable for a beginner, but nothing to write home about. The following week into the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th is mostly marginal or poor, with moderate winds and messy cross-chop.

So, the two true standouts in this run are the Thursday 17th morning and the Friday 18th morning. Both mornings offer clean, lined-up groundswell with light offshore winds. If you can only paddle out twice in the next 16 days, make it those mornings. The initial Wednesday/Thursday window is also solid, but the long-range quality is all about that second week Thursday and Friday.

Rusty.

Read more