Galheta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, staring down the next 16 days for our little slice of the coast. Gotta be straight with you, it’s a proper slow start. We’re looking at a long, painful gap right off the bat.

From today, Saturday the 8th of August, right through until the morning of Wednesday the 13th, it’s a total write-off. We’re talking flat, choppy, onshore junk, or just nothing at all. You’d be better off waxing your board and staring at the wall. There’s a bit of glassy calm on Tuesday the 11th, but with zero swell, it’s just a pretty pond.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Thursday morning, the 13th of August. The wind is gonna be howling offshore from the north at 12 mph, which will clean things right up. There’s a long-period groundswell rolling in from the SSE at 3 ft with a 15-second period. That’s proper energy for a point break like Galheta, with a combined energy of (242). The long period means it’ll be a bit more walled up and have longer lulls between sets, but the shape should be excellent. This is your best window in the near-term, but keep in mind the crowds are *sometimes* an issue there, so get out early.

After that, it gets messy again. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are poor or just ordinary, despite a few glassy moments. Come Sunday the 16th, the swell bumps up to 6 ft from the east, but the wind is a cross-onshore mess, so it’ll be choppy. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddling one.

Now, for the bold and the patient. The standout for the entire outlook is a solid Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th of August. A serious pulse of ENE swell is forecast, hitting 8 ft to 8 ft with a period of 9 seconds, generating massive combined energy (859 and 1041). The wind is looking favorable, cross-offshore and clean. This is proper, powerful surf. For Galheta, this is *too big* for your average weekend warrior. This is expert-only territory. The swell direction from the ENE isn't the absolute optimum for the break, but the sheer size and power will make it a raw, heavy day. If you’re not confident in big, shifty waves, sit this one out.

The run then settles down. Thursday the 20th of August morning is a beauty: glassy conditions with a clean 5 ft ENE swell at 9 seconds. That’s a much more manageable size and will be a fun, clean day for the intermediate crowd. After that, it fizzles out into tiny, weak waves as we head into the final weekend.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a complete bust. Your best bet for clean, fun surf is Thursday the 13th for the long period groundswell, or Thursday the 20th for the glassy, manageable waves. The real heavyweights – the 18th and 19th – are only for the experts.

Keep your eyes on the horizon, the forecast can always change.

Rusty.

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