Ferrugem Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Ferrugem. We’ve got a mixed bag of a 16-day window, with some windows of absolute glass to get excited about, but also a fair bit of chop and onshore wind to work around.

The overall pattern sees a solid pulse of S-SSE swell arriving right off the bat, with moderate to strong wave energy. Saturday morning starts with a 6ft SSE swell, clean but with a moderate cross-off breeze. The energy is decent (1188), and the period is a juicy 14 seconds, so there’s proper groundswell in the water. The winds are a bit breezy, but the surf is rideable. Saturday afternoon is similar, 6ft, still clean.

Sunday is a write-off. The winds swing onshore from the SSW, and the surf gets choppy and messy. The swell is there, but it’s not worth the paddle out.

Monday morning, 10th August, sees a bigger swell push through, 8ft from the S with a period of 13 seconds. The energy is solid (3249), but the wind is cross-shore from the SW. It’s a bit of a wrestle, but for the crew with the right board, there are some proper, powerful lines. The afternoon gets messy again.

Now, here’s the standout. Tuesday the 11th of August. Morning and afternoon, the wind goes dead calm. Glassy conditions. The swell is a clean 6ft to 6ft from the SSE with a 12-second period. The energy is moderate (928 and 899). This is the pick of the window. The wave quality is described as “very good”. For a sandbar break like Ferrugem, those long-period SSE swells can line up nicely, and with zero wind, it’ll be smooth as silk. This is the session to aim for.

Wednesday the 12th is still decent, with a clean 6ft dropping to 5ft, but the wind picks up to a moderate cross-off. Still rideable, but not as perfect as Tuesday.

The rest of the first week fades a bit. Thursday and Friday see smaller SSE swell, 4ft to 5ft, but the wind is a problem, mostly cross-on or onshore. Saturday the 15th has a brief clean window in the morning with a 5ft SSE swell and light offshore winds, worth a look if you’re keen.

Then we hit a gap. From Sunday the 16th through to the 20th, the surf turns poor. The swell direction shifts to the east, the period drops to a short 7-8 seconds, and the wind is mostly cross-on or onshore. It’s a messy, choppy, blown-out run. The energy is weak (367 to 354). The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We get a flicker of hope on Wednesday the 19th. A 7ft swell from the east, 10-second period, with clean conditions and a light cross-off wind. The energy is moderate (809), and the wave comment is “very good”. It’s a solid option for the more experienced, but it’s over a week out, so keep an eye on it.

The 20th has a tiny, glassy 4ft morning, but it’s a windswell, and the 21st sees a similar small, glassy 4ft S swell. The window closes out on the 22nd and 23rd with tiny, weak surf.

So, the clear winner is Tuesday, August 11th. Get on it.

Rusty.

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