Galheta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, the boys at the helm are telling me things are looking really bleak for us around here for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, I’ve been staring at the charts and it’s a tough read. Let’s break it down.

Right now and for the next few days, we’re in a real dry spell. The wind is just cruel. We kick off on Saturday the 12th with a messy, cross-on shore breeze from the south at 12 mph blowing right into a weak 5ft swell. The wave energy is weak, only 162, and the period is a sad 6 seconds. It's just a choppy, messy lineup. The water’s sitting at 64°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year. Honestly, it’s pretty miserable out there.

That garbage pattern drags on through Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th. The swell stays tiny and the wind stays on it, ruining everything. There’s a slight uptick in energy on Tuesday the 15th, with a 6ft east swell pushing the energy up to 458. But the wind is still swinging cross-on, and the period is short at 8 seconds. It’ll be a lumpy, bumpy mess. Not worth your time unless you’re desperate for a paddle.

We get a small window of relief Thursday the 17th. The morning looks glassy with a light NNE breeze at only 3 mph. The swell is tiny, 3ft from the east, and the energy is weak at 93. The comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s a polite way of saying it’s small and weak. You might get a couple of knee-high dribblers if you’re patient.

Now, here’s the one little gem in this whole outlook. If you’re looking for the best bet, it’s the morning of Sunday the 20th of September. The wind finally plays ball with a light offshore from the NNW at 6 mph. We get a 3ft swell from the southeast with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy hits 257, which is a moderate pulse. The report says to “expect good surf conditions.” That’s the standout. It’ll be clean, with decent shape from that longer period groundswell. Just remember, Galheta can get a bit busy sometimes, so expect a few heads in the water. That’s your window. It’s not huge, but it’ll be clean.

After that, it’s back to the blues. Monday the 21st through to the end of the forecast, the wind stays on it again, or the swell just disappears entirely. By the 24th and 25th, we’re looking at flat spells with zero energy. There’s a tease on Saturday the 26th with a 2ft swell from the southeast, but it’s a 14-second period long-liner hitting on a fresh cross-offshore breeze. That’s tricky. At a beach break like this, a 14-second period groundswell can just stand up and close out straight. Not great for the average surfer.

It’s a grim run, folks. Take that Sunday morning on the 20th and make the most of it. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game. For now, the kite surfers might be having more fun on the choppy days than we are.

Rusty.

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