Guarda do Embau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s take a look at what’s lining up for you here at Guarda do Embau. This is a river mouth setup, so it’s a bit of a mix. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ve got a classic Southern Hemisphere winter pattern – consistent pulses of southerly swell, but the winds are going to be the main character. The water temp is sitting around average for this time of year, so nothing crazy to report there.

This week actually kicks off with a bit of a slow start. Sunday, the 23rd, has some swell, but the wind is all wrong – cross-shore and onshore, pushing right across the wave face. It’ll be a messy, choppy scene. You’d be better off waiting.

Now, Monday morning, the 24th of August? That’s the standout for the whole run. We’re looking at a solid 8 ft of clean SSE groundswell, with a nice long 14-second period. The combined energy is pumping (2543), and the wind is dead glassy. That’s about as good as it gets for experienced surfers. This is a big swell for the river mouth, so it’s not for the faint-hearted. The tide will be a factor, but if you’ve got the experience, that window is the one to circle.

Tuesday morning, the 25th, is also a solid option. The swell drops back to a still-chunky 6 ft from the SSE, period holding at 13 seconds. You’ll have a clean, cross-offshore wind from the north. It’s a step down from Monday’s glass, but still a very good session.

The rest of the week is mostly about dealing with cross-shore winds and a dropping swell. Wednesday and Thursday mornings offer some cleaner windows, but the wave size drops off, and the wind swings around, making it harder to find a clean face. Friday the 28th brings a shift – a smaller, shorter-period ENE swell but with clean cross-off winds. It’s surfable, but nothing special.

We hit a rough patch from the 30th of August through the first few days of September. A lot of rain and onshore winds make for poor conditions. The swell is small and weak (combined energy drops below 500). It’s a real slow spell.

The second week starts to look a bit more promising again. The best chance comes on Monday morning, the 7th of September. It’s a 5 ft ENE swell with a glassy, dead-calm wind. For a river break, that long wait for a clean morning could be well worth it.

All in all, the absolute pick of the 16 days is that Monday morning, August 24th. Get on it if you can. Otherwise, the window is tight, with a lot of average, wind-affected days in between.

- Rusty

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