Ponto Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's cookin' at Ponto.

First thing you gotta know, the water is a balmy 71°F right now, which is 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That's a real treat, feels like we're skipping a season.

Honestly, the next week and a half is a bit of a grind. From Sunday the 12th right through to about the 20th of July, we're looking at a whole lot of small, weak energy. The combined swell energy is hanging around the 250 to 450 mark, which is pretty weak. We're talking waist-high or smaller, mostly from the SSW, with a few decent periods but just not enough push. The wind is offshore for most of that stretch, which is a glimmer of hope, but the waves are just too small and weak to get excited about. It's a real bummer of a run.

The first real sign of life shows up on the 22nd of July. Wednesday afternoon the combined energy jumps to 1306, a big leap into moderate territory. We get a 3ft S swell sneaking in, but it's a light cross-onshore breeze. It's still only marginal, but you can feel the ocean waking up.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. Thursday the 23rd of July is the standout. The morning sees a 7ft S swell with a combined energy of 1647, the strongest in the whole run. The wind is light cross-onshore, keeping it from being perfect, but the size and energy are there. This is a solid swell for the experts, because 7ft is pushing the limits for most, and the period is 14 seconds, so it's got some proper groundswell grunt. Ponto is a river mouth, so it often handles that longer-period energy better than a beach break, but expect it to be a bit straight and fast. The crowds will be around, as it's often busy.

The 24th of July Friday is still solid, with 6ft SSW swell in the morning and a combined energy of 1443, but the wind picks up to a moderate 12 mph cross-onshore, making it choppy. The 23rd is the pick.

After that, it fades again. The 25th and 26th drop back to around 5ft and 2ft, with the energy falling off a cliff. The long period (20 seconds) on the 26th is a tease, but it's too small to do anything with.

So, to sum it up: the first ten days are a write-off. The best bet is to circle Thursday the 23rd of July for a proper, powerful, expert-only session at Ponto. It's not perfect with the cross-onshore, but it's the only real swell in the window.

Rusty.

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