Playa do Carreiro Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. It’s Rusty here.

The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a pulse of energy coming through early, but it’s not all clean. Looks like a few solid days to start, then a real long lull where you might as well wax the board and wait.

Saturday morning is where we kick off. Playa do Carreiro is looking like a calm, clean start to the weekend. It’s a river mouth setup, so it can be a bit tricky, but with glassy conditions and a light 3ft WNW swell at 9 seconds, it’s a fun, easy paddle. The energy is moderate (339). The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird going on.

Saturday afternoon the wind shifts onshore, and the swell bumps up to 4ft from the NW but with a longer 13-second period. That long period groundswell can make the river bar a bit shifty and close out, so it’s more of a marginal call. The wave energy is cranking up though (615).

Sunday morning is the best bet of the early run. Clean 4ft NW swell, 11-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is still solid (387). It’s a good, clean session for intermediate surfers. Sunday afternoon the wind gets a bit stiffer, so it’s going to chop up.

Monday is the standout. The 7th of September. Early morning we’ve got 6ft WNW swell with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is firing at 1017 – that’s strong wave energy. It’s a cross-offshore wind, so the face will be clean. That’s expert territory though, over 5ft. This is the one to circle on the calendar if you’ve got the skills. The afternoon stays solid but a bit smaller.

Tuesday drops back to a more manageable 4ft WNW, still clean, and the energy is moderate (332). A good, consistent day for the average surfer.

Wednesday morning, the 9th is another gem. 4ft NW swell at 11 seconds, clean cross-off breeze, and the energy is pumping (513). The forecast calls it very good conditions. That’s the kind of morning you call in sick for.

After that, it gets ugly. From Thursday afternoon the 10th right through to Saturday the 20th, it’s a long stretch of small, weak, or blown-out surf. There’s a gap of over a week with nothing really worth paddling out for. The swell drops below 3ft, the wind is howling cross-off from the NNW at 20-35 km/h, and the energy plunges into the double digits. Kite surfers might have a look at the beach on the windy days, but for paddle surfing, it’s a write-off.

There is a late flicker of hope. Wednesday morning, the 16th of September, we get a 4ft NW swell with a 13-second period, and finally, an offshore wind. The energy is moderate (486). It’s a clean window, but it’s a long way out and the forecast confidence is lower. Keep an eye on it.

Bottom line: Monday the 7th morning is the big-wave highlight for experts. Wednesday the 9th morning is the best all-rounder for the rest of us. After that, it’s a long wait until the 16th.

Rusty

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