Ponta do Silencio Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day surfers, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about the window ahead for Ponta do Silencio. It’s a weird one, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it.

The general pattern from now is a whole lot of nothing. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf, with tiny, weak swells that just aren’t going to do this sheltered reef any favors. For the first few days, we’re talking about waves barely pushing 1ft to 2ft, coming from the ENE with short, weak periods between 7 and 8 seconds. The energy is, frankly, pathetic, with readings mostly in the low 20s to low 40s (like 25 and 42). Even though the mornings offer some clean, offshore NW breezes, there just isn’t enough ocean behind it to make a ripple worth paddling for. The first Saturday, August 8th, sees a brief pulse of longer-period SSE swell push the energy up to 293, but it’s still only 2ft and the comment is “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

After that, the wind goes onshore from the south for about four days straight, which just chops up what little there is. This run of poor quality and onshores runs from Sunday the 9th right through to Wednesday the 12th. It’s a real gap of nothing, with energy dropping back down to the teens and twenties. If you're thinking of paddling out, don't bother.

Things get interesting, in a frustrating kind of way, on the second Saturday, the 15th of August. Early morning brings the biggest swell of the entire period: 4ft from the S, with an 11-second period and a solid energy reading of 494. That’s a real step up in energy. But here’s the catch – the wind is a light cross-onshore, and the forecast calls it “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” So while the size is there, the quality is iffy. This is the only time the ocean actually has some push behind it.

For the last couple of days, Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th, we’re back to small 2ft ENE swells. The winds are clean, glassy to offshore, so the surface will be smooth. The break will be a pretty sight, but the waves themselves will be weak and unmotivated. You’ll be floating around more than riding.

So, here’s the bottom line. There is no standout day on offer. There is no “best” of this bunch because it’s all sub-par. The only time I’d even have my board on the roof is for early on Saturday, the 15th of August. A 4ft groundswell from the south is the biggest and most powerful we see, but don’t get too excited. It’s a 50/50 call at best, and the conditions look more like they'd suit a kite than a surfboard. It’s a sheltered reef, and this southern swell doesn't match its ideal SE direction, so it might not break with any real shape.

This is one of those times where you look at the ocean and just shake your head. There’s not a lot of consistency on offer, so a blank run like this isn't unusual. We’ll have to wear this one and check back later. Forecasts can and do change, but as it stands, it’s a poor outlook.

This is Rusty, signing off. Keep your head up.

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