Porto Batel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here.

Alright, so we’re looking at a pretty grim stretch ahead for the Porto Batel (Portugal) region. The next week and a half is basically a write-off – tiny, weak swell with poor conditions. There’s a big gap of days with nothing worth paddling out for, but hang in there, because the second weekend looks like it could finally deliver something serious.

Let’s start with the first few days. Sunday the 5th we’ve got tiny 1ft waves from the NW, period around 11 seconds, but the combined energy is a weak 69 – just not enough to get excited about. The wind is a light cross-off, so it’s clean, but it’s ankle-biters. Monday and through the rest of the week just get worse, with swell dropping to 0.7ft-2ft and energy dropping into the teens and twenties. The wind stays cross-off, but the surf is just poor.

We’ve got a solid gap of flat, poor, or marginal conditions from the 5th right through to the morning of the 18th of July. The water temp is sitting at 65°, which is about average for this time of year – no real drama there.

Then, finally, on Saturday the 18th of July, we see a pulse of energy. The swell jumps to 8ft from the NNW, with a 9-second period. The combined energy hits 1156 – that’s strong energy. It’s a bit punchy and short-period, so it’ll be a bit lumpy, but the wind is a moderate cross-off in the morning, keeping it reasonably clean. This is expert territory though – 8ft is too big for beginners.

The standout, and the best on offer, is Sunday the 19th of July morning. The swell is up to 10ft from the NNW, with a 9-second period. The combined energy is a massive 1243. The wind is a light cross-off from the north at just 6 mph, so it’ll be glassy and clean. The report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers” – and that’s exactly what this is. This is a big, powerful groundswell for Porto Batel, a point break that should handle the size well. It’s only for the experts though – 10ft is a serious paddle. Expect crowds here, as it’s a well-known spot.

After that, Monday the 20th still has a solid 8ft from the NNW, but the wind picks up to a moderate cross-off, and the energy drops a bit to 735. It’s still a good option for the same crew, but not as clean as the Sunday morning.

So, to sum it up: the first 13 days are a complete bust. If you’re a competent surfer, the real window is Sunday the 19th of July morning – that’s the one to circle. The swell is big, the wind is light, and the point break should handle it beautifully. Don’t bother before then.

Rusty.

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