Popoyo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it, my friends.

Honestly, it’s been a rough stretch. We’re looking at a long, dry gap here. The first proper surf recommendation doesn’t pop up until Tuesday the 11th of August, and even then it’s a marginal call. Before that, from now right through to Tuesday morning, it’s all poor surf conditions—mostly cross-off winds and swell that’s not coming together right. That’s about 5 days of nothing to write home about.

When we finally get something to look at, it’s all centered on Popoyo, a reliable reef setup that’s very consistent and exposed to the SW swell. The water temp is sitting at a warm 84°F, which is about normal for this time of year.

Let’s break it down:

Tuesday 11th August afternoon: There’s a glimmer. A clean, cross-off wind from the east at 19 mph, with a 2ft SW swell pushing a long period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 519. That long period is a classic groundswell – it’ll wrap into Popoyo’s reef nicely, but it might be a bit tricky to get into the rhythm. The score is just a 1 out of 10 though, so it’s barely worth wetting a wetsuit for.

Wednesday 12th August morning: Fresh offshore winds from the ENE at 22 mph. That’s clean, but again a small 2ft SW swell with a 16-second period. The combined energy is 395 – moderate. It’s a “fresh offshore and clean” call, but the size is tiny and the score is still a 0.

Thursday 13th August morning: Another morning with a fresh offshore (ENE 22 mph) and a small 2ft SSW swell, 15-second period. Combined energy is 244. Still marginal, score of 1. It’s clean, but you’ll be working for scraps.

Friday 14th August afternoon: This is where things get interesting, but it’s still not great. The swell picks up to 4ft from the SW with a very long 18-second period. Combined energy jumps to 977 (moderate-strong). But the wind is a cross-off from the ENE at 25 mph. It’s clean, but the size and long period mean it’s a bit more grunty, yet still scores a 0 for poor conditions.

Saturday 15th August morning: The best-looking window in the whole forecast, and it’s still only a marginal call. We’ve got a strong offshore wind from the ENE at 28 mph, a 4ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and combined energy at 904 (strong). The report says “strong offshore and clean but hard to paddle into.” That offshore will hold the face up beautifully on Popoyo’s reef, but the wind strength will make paddling a battle. If you’re an intermediate or above and you can get out, this could be the standout session of the 16 days, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. The long period groundswell will be better on a point or reef like this, but the struggle to get out is real.

Sunday 16th August morning: Fresh offshore again (ENE 22 mph), with a 4ft SW swell, 15-second period, and combined energy of 648 (moderate-strong). Clean, but still only a 1 out of 10.

Monday 17th August morning: Strong offshore (ENE 25 mph), 3ft SW swell, 14-second period, energy at 500. Again, strong offshore and clean but hard to paddle into. Score of 1.

After that, it trails off. The rest of the second week (from the 18th onward) is all cross-off winds, small swell under 3ft, and poor conditions. Nothing worth chasing.

The Bottom Line: There are no real standouts here. The only one that gets close is Saturday morning, 15th August at Popoyo. If you’re an experienced local who can handle a strong offshore battle, that’s your window. For everyone else, it’s a waiting game. The forecasts can change, but right now, the surf is small and the wind is messy.

Rusty.

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