Porto Batel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good hard look at what Porto Batel has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a slow start, but there’s some light at the end of the tunnel if you’re patient.

The first real pulse of surf doesn’t show up until Saturday the 18th of July. Before that, we’re looking at a long, flat and frustrating gap from now right through the end of next week. From Saturday the 11th all the way to Friday the 17th, it’s just tiny, weak waves with poor, onshore, or choppy conditions. Nothing worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at a bit of a chilly 64°F, which is a touch colder than normal for this time of year – about 3°F cooler – so you’ll want a thicker suit if you’re in the water from the get-go.

Saturday 18th July – Things finally start to wake up. The morning brings a solid 7ft of swell from the north with a short, fat period of 7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 465. Winds are cross-offshore from the north at 12 mph, which will keep the surface clean. This is expert territory at that size and with that short period – it’ll be a bit walled and fat, but at least it’s not choppy. Afternoon drops slightly to 6ft, still cross-off, but the energy starts to fade a bit.

Sunday 19th July – Similar story in the morning: 7ft from the north-northwest, period still short at 7 seconds, combined energy at 444. Winds are still clean from the north at 12 mph. Same deal – big, short-period, punchy waves. Keep the big board at home unless you’re charging.

Monday 20th July – Another morning push: 7ft from the north-northwest, period nudging up to 8 seconds. Energy climbs to 579. Winds are cross-off from the north-northwest at 12 mph. Still on the bigger side, but the slightly longer period should give the waves a bit more shape.

Tuesday 21st July – This is where you want to circle the date. Morning session sees 8ft from the north-northwest with a period of 9 seconds. Combined energy is up to a strong 879. Winds are light and cross-off from the north at 9 mph – that’s *clean*. The longer period means better-shaped, more powerful waves with longer lulls between sets. It’s still big enough to be for experienced surfers only (over 8ft is expert zone), but the quality is the best we’ve seen so far. Afternoon drops to 7ft with still clean cross-off winds.

Wednesday 22nd July through Friday 24th July – A consistent run of 6ft to 8ft from the north-northwest, periods hanging around 7-8 seconds. Winds stay cross-off from the north or north-northwest, keeping the surface clean. The energy sits between 373 and 596 – moderate to strong. Good, solid, everyday intermediate-to-advanced conditions.

Saturday 25th July – This is the standout of the whole outlook. Morning delivers 8ft from the north-northwest, period 8 seconds, and a very strong combined energy of 806. Winds are light and cross-off from the north-northwest at 9 mph. The data says “expect very good surf conditions,” and I’m buying it. This is the best day on offer – big, powerful, clean, and long-period groundswell energy. That size is firmly expert-only; it’ll be too much for anyone not comfortable in solid waves. The north-northwest direction matches the optimum west swell for this point, but being a bit north of west, it’ll still wrap in nicely. Since it’s a point break, the longer-period swell should peel beautifully.

Because Porto Batel is a point break, the longer-period swells we’re seeing (especially on the 21st and 25th) will set up nice, long walls perfect for down-the-line riding. The downside? Crowds are listed as “sometimes” – so expect a few other locals out on those good mornings, especially on the 25th.

Also, be aware that from Saturday the 25th afternoon onward the winds start to shift more cross-shore with some slight chop developing, so mornings are definitely the call on those days.

Sunday 26th July – Morning sees another 8ft swell from the north-northwest, period 8 seconds and energy at 804. Winds are still light and cross-off from the north-northwest at 9 mph. Another great, clean morning for experts. Afternoon turns cross-shore and gets a little messy, so stick to the early session.

So to wrap it up: if you’re a solid surfer, the absolute best bet is the morning of Saturday 25th July. Tuesday 21st July morning is a close second for quality. The rest of the second week offers consistent, clean waves in the 6ft to 8ft range. Just don’t bother paddling out before Saturday 18th July – it’s flat and crummy.

Stay salty,
Rusty

Read more