Lajao (Baia dos Golfinhos) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a seat and let’s talk about what’s shaping up for Lajao (Baia dos Golfinhos). The next 16 days look pretty grim for decent surf. There’s a big gap at the start with zero good waves, and not much to get excited about even later on.

Right now, the water’s sitting at a warm 81°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing unusual there. But the swell? It’s just not delivering. The predominant wind is from the SE, blowing cross-off or cross most of the time, which is clean enough but the energy is weak. The combined swell energy starts around 210 (weak) and climbs to maybe 264 by Thursday the 27th of August, but that’s still only moderate. Swell heights hover around 3 ft to 5 ft, mostly from the E or ESE, with short periods of 6 to 8 seconds. That’s short-period wind swell, not the kind that brings real power or shape.

For the first week, from Wednesday the 19th of August right through to Tuesday the 25th of August, every session is marked as “poor surf conditions.” The wind is cross-off or cross, which keeps the surface clean, but the waves are weak and poorly formed. The Lajao reef needs something with more punch and the right direction – the optimum direction is NE, but we’re seeing E/ESE. That’s a mismatch. The short period means the waves are soft and lack push.

Now, there’s a slight glimmer from Thursday the 27th of August into the end of the month. On Thursday the 27th, the combined energy jumps to 264 to 291 (moderate), and we get a tiny upgrade to “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” The swell height is 5 ft from ESE or E, with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind is cross-off from the SE at 25 km/h. It’s not good, but it’s the best we’ll see. Still, the direction is wrong for the optimum NE, and the period is short, so the reef won’t be lighting up.

After that, from Friday the 28th of August through to Thursday the 3rd of September, we’re back to poor surf or marginal conditions. The wind stays cross or cross-off, but the swell remains weak and short-period. The combined energy sticks in the 200–250 range (moderate at best), and the heights are 4 ft to 5 ft. The cross-on wind on the 3rd of September will chop things up even more.

If you’re looking for a standout, there just isn’t one. The best shot is Thursday the 27th of August, but even that’s marginal. For a beginner reef like Lajao, the swell is small enough to be safe, but the poor shape and poor quality mean it’s not worth paddling out. It’s a total write-off. Don’t expect much for the next couple of weeks.

Rusty

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