Focene or Baraonda Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the Focene area. Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next two weeks look pretty bleak for any decent paddle surfing. The first solid bit of swell doesn’t show up until late in the period, so there’s a long dry spell from now until the start of September.

The only break we’ve got to look at is Focene or Baraonda, a beginner-friendly, fairly consistent beach break that’s exposed to the open sea. It gets crowded often, so you’ll have company if anything does pop off. The water is running at a very warm 84°F, which is a whopping 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – seriously unusual, almost like a warm bath.

Alright, let’s walk through it. The forecast starts with a tough Friday afternoon (August 21st): a 3 ft southerly swell at a short 5 seconds, with a 16 mph south wind creating a nasty cross-chop. The combined wave energy is a paltry 36, so it’s flat and messy. Not worth a second look.

Saturday morning (August 22nd) is actually the closest thing to a highlight in the whole run. The wind goes glassy, calm, 0 mph, and while the swell is a modest 3 ft from the west, it’s a clean 6-second period. The combined energy is 76 – still weak, but it’s the cleanest window we get. It’s a true window of opportunity for the absolute beginner, but the surf is very ordinary. The afternoon turns to junk again with a cross-onshore wind.

From Sunday (August 23rd) all the way through to Friday morning (August 28th), it’s a total write-off. There are days with no swell at all, or tiny, short-period dribble. The combined energy drops to zero or single digits. The wind is often cross-off or clean, but there’s just nothing to ride. It’s a proper gap of about six days with nothing worthwhile.

Then, on Friday afternoon (August 28th), the swell finally tries to show up. We get a 6 ft WSW swell at 7 seconds – that’s a moderate 298 combined energy (moderate). But the wind is a strong 16 mph south cross-shore, whipping up a chop. The rating says poor surf conditions. It’s a bit of a cruel tease, honestly. The next morning (Saturday, August 29th) is onshore and messy, and the swell is already down to 5 ft.

The period from Sunday, August 30th through to the end of the forecast (September 5th) is a slow grind of tiny swells, mostly under 3 ft, with short periods and weak energy. There’s a small window on Saturday morning (September 5th) with a 3 ft WSW swell, 6-second period, and a light cross-off breeze from the SE giving clean conditions. The combined energy is 46 – weak. It’s surfable but very ordinary. After that, it dies again.

Overall, the best bet in this whole stretch is the glassy Saturday morning (August 22nd) for a tiny, clean wave. The other faint glimmer is the clean Saturday morning (September 5th) for a similar small wave. Don’t hold your breath for anything else. This is a tough run for a beach break that needs a proper swell.

Stay patient, check the forecasts, and maybe bring a towel for a swim instead.

Rusty.

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