Galheta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the next week and a half is looking pretty bleak. We’ve got a long stretch of days with very little to get excited about. From now until around the 17th of August, it’s a lot of flat spells and weak, messy conditions. There are a few moments where the waves are technically surfable, but the quality is just ordinary, and the wind’s often not doing us any favours. It’s a real test of patience.

Let’s break it down day by day. The first couple of days, Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th, offer nothing worth paddling out for. Tiny, weak swell with poor conditions. Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th see a little bump in energy, with the swell height around 3 ft to 4 ft out of the ENE, but it’s short period stuff (7-8 seconds). The combined energy is weak to moderate (between 80 and 159), and while the morning offshore winds from the NNW will keep the surface clean, the waves themselves are just “surfable but ordinary.” It’s a bit of a tease.

Friday the 7th is a write-off, and Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are completely flat. Monday the 10th through Thursday the 13th bring some small, short-period, wind-affected junk, with the wind mostly cross-onshore and choppy. The water temperature is about 66°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The only real glimmer of hope in this whole dry spell is a tiny, glassy moment on the morning of Saturday the 15th of August. The swell is only 1 ft from the SE, but with a light NNE breeze making it glassy, it’s the cleanest the water will look. Still, it’s just too small to get excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout period is Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th of August. This is the one you should mark on your calendar.

Galheta is the only break in the game, and it finally wakes up. On Monday morning, we see a 6 ft swell from the ESE, increasing to 6 ft by the afternoon out of the E. The period is still short at 8 seconds, but the combined energy jumps to 373 and 433 – that’s moderate energy, and it’s the strongest we’ll see all period. The wind is a clean, cross-off breeze from the N to NNE, keeping the face of the wave smooth. The swell direction is from the ESE/E, which is a good match for this spot. This is the best on offer, hands down. It’s a solid size, head-high stuff, and it’ll be clean. The conditions are finally aligning.

Tuesday the 18th morning still holds a 3 ft swell from the E with 206 energy and cross-off wind, but the afternoon turns onshore from the S, so the morning is your window.

Given the long, flat run, don’t expect crowds to be a problem at Galheta. The consistency is fairly consistent, so it should be a good session. Just remember, when the swell gets over 5 ft, it’s starting to push into that intermediate territory, so be aware of your limits.

So, to sum it up: a lot of flat, boring days, but hold out for the 17th and 18th of August. That’s the window.

Rusty.

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