Ferrugem Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ over the next couple weeks at Ferrugem.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start but there’s a real window of clean, decent-sized surf coming up. The first real standout is shaping up for Monday morning, the 24th of August. That’s the pick of the whole run right there. We’re looking at a solid 8ft swell from the SSE, with a long period of 14 seconds – pure groundswell energy. With glassy conditions and a slight air wind, it’s going to be clean as a whistle. But listen, that size with that much power (combined energy of 2543), this is for experienced surfers only. Swell that big and that long will jack up fast and punchy, especially being an exposed sandbar. You’ll get proper sets, long waits between them, and the paddle out won’t be too bad. It’s a spot that can get crowded, so expect some company if you head out.

The run-up to that is a bit disappointing. Sunday afternoon, the 23rd, is a write-off with cross-on wind and a choppy 7ft swell that’s just messy. Not worth the paddle. After the Monday morning gem, things settle but stay okay. Tuesday morning, the 25th, is glassy again with a 6ft SSE swell, period dropping to 13 seconds. It’s cleaner but the energy is moderate (979). Good for a fun session, not as exciting.

From Wednesday the 26th through the end of the first week, the swell hangs around the 5ft to 7ft mark, mostly from the SSE and SE, with periods between 13 and 15 seconds. The wind flips from cross-off to cross, but it’s generally clean in the mornings. The best morning there is Wednesday the 26th, with a 7ft SSE swell (14 sec) and a clean cross-off breeze. Moderate energy in the water (1835), solid for an intermediate session.

Now, heading into the second week, the surf starts to fade and get more inconsistent. By the end of August and into early September, the swell drops to 5ft to 5ft, periods shorten to 8-10 seconds, and the wind starts playing games – mostly cross or cross-off, but weaker energy (300-400 range). Nothing special. There’s a bit of a bump on Tuesday morning, September 1st, but the wind is straight cross and the period is a short 7 seconds – it’s blown out and poor. Not one to bother with.

There is another big spike worth mentioning for Wednesday morning, September 2nd. A 10ft S swell with an 11-second period, and combined energy of 3561. That’s a lot of water moving. But the wind is light cross-shore, so there might be some shape, but 10ft is expert territory only, and period is moderate. It’s a heavy day, not for the faint-hearted. That afternoon the wind turns onshore, so the morning is the only chance. The following Thursday and Friday mornings, September 3rd and 4th, clean up with cross-off wind and 6ft to 6ft SSE swell (12 sec), but the energy drops off (837). Worth a look if you want a clean wave without the crowds.

The very end of the run, into September 6th and 7th, turns ugly – strong cross-on wind and choppy conditions with weak, short-period swell. Not recommended at all.

So to sum it up: Monday morning, August 24th is your absolute standout. Get out there early for the best clean, powerful groundswell. Wednesday morning, August 26th is a solid backup. The big 10ft day on Wednesday morning, September 2nd is only for the hardcore experts. After that, the quality tanks.

Rusty.

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