Ponta Do Rapa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Ponta Do Rapa over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, this is a tricky one because the spot itself is a rare-breaking reef, so you gotta pick your moments. We’ve got a few windows of clean surf, but a lot of time in between where it’s not worth paddling out.

The first real standout kicks off on Monday, the 7th of September. Ponta Do Rapa looks alright for the more advanced crew, with a south swell pushing in at 5 ft. The energy is moderate, hitting 505, and that cross-off wind from the south at 6 mph is going to keep the faces reasonably clean. The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s not pumping, but it’s the best early call we’ve got. The afternoon gets even better with a clean 5 ft from the SSE and a light offshore from the ESE at 6 mph. That’s the clear winner for the first day.

Now, there’s a big gap on Tuesday and Wednesday where the wind turns onshore or goes lumpy, and the waves drop off. Not worth it.

The next real glimmer of hope comes on Thursday the 10th, late in the afternoon. We see a drop to 3 ft, but don’t let the size fool you. The wind goes dead glass – zero mph – and we get a very long-period swell of 15 seconds from the SSE. This is proper groundswell energy, and though the combined energy is 503, that straight line of energy will work best on this reef. For a rarely-breaking break, this is a special chance for those who know the lineup. This could be the most interesting session of the whole forecast.

After Thursday, we slide back into small, weak, or windy conditions. Saturday the 12th is a write-off with low energy (96) and bumpy texture.

Hold onto your boards for Sunday the 13th of September. We get a solid jump to 8 ft from the SSE. That’s big, and with strong energy at 1426, this is only for the experts. The wind is a fresh cross-off at 19 mph, so it’ll be blown out and difficult. Monday the 14th is the better call for bigger waves: 7 ft from the SSE, lighter wind at 6 mph, and an energy of 811. It’s clean, it’s got power, but it’s still in the expert-only zone.

There’s a really promising window on Tuesday the 15th afternoon – a clean 4 ft from the SE with a gentle offshore at 9 mph. That’s a nice, manageable size for a wave that is rarely working.

The second week is quieter, but keep an eye on Friday the 18th. A solid 6 ft to 6 ft swell rolls in from the south with a very long period of 12 to 13 seconds and strong energy (1173). The wind stays clean from the east, but the long period might make the sets a bit unpredictable on this reef.

The last serious blast of swell is on Sunday the 20th of September with 8 ft from the ENE, but it’s getting thumped by 22 mph winds, making it a mess. Not recommended.

The forecast closes out nicely on Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd of September. We see 5 ft and 5 ft from the ENE with glassy conditions and light air. That’s the reward at the end of the waiting game—small, clean, and surfable for someone who knows the spot.

Bottom line: If you want the best of the best, chase the glassy, long-period groundswell on Thursday the 10th afternoon, or the clean, expert-level 7 ft on Monday the 14th. Everything else is either small, lumpy, or a long shot.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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