Porto Batel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been digging through the charts for Porto Batel, trying to sniff out a decent window. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag – there’s swell coming, but that cross-off wind is going to be your constant mate, and it can leave things a bit lumpy. The real standout looks like it’s at the back end of the run, so let’s walk through it.

We start this Wednesday morning with some weak groundswell at 2ft from the WNW, with an 8-second period. The combined energy is weak at 149. A moderate cross-off breeze keeps it clean, but it’s tiny. Not really worth getting out of bed for unless you’re desperate for a slide. Afternoon pushes to 3ft but a touch better period at 10 seconds, though energy stays weak at 186. Still mushy.

Thursday brings more size – 5ft from the NNW in the morning, but the period drops back to 8 seconds and the energy is moderate at 375. The cross-off wind is still there and it's clean, but the waves look fat and sectiony. Morning's a maybe, afternoon is a marginal call at 5ft.

Friday keeps that NNW swell at 5ft, but the period has dropped to a short 7 seconds. That makes for crumbly, weak waves with moderate energy at 245. It’s clean but not very inspiring.

Saturday morning is about the smallest – a weak 2ft and then dropping to 1ft in the afternoon. It’s nearly flat, with very weak energy at 80 and 49. Sunday and Monday are more of the same – tiny and weak, not worth the paddle. We're in a proper lull for a few days.

Mid-next week, we get a little pulse. On Tuesday the 11th morning, there's 3ft from the NNW with an 11-second period and moderate energy at 267, but the cross-off wind is still up. It’s a grovelly one. Wednesday and Thursday are similar – small and inconsistent, though Wednesday morning has a slightly better 9-second period.

Now, the real news is the swell that starts building from Friday the 14th. That morning sees 7ft from the NNW, period 8 seconds, and energy jumps to a strong 525. The wind is a moderate cross-off, which isn't ideal, but it’s still surfable. This is when things get interesting. That 8-second period can make for a walled and sectiony wave, especially on a point like Porto Batel.

The weekend of the 15th and 16th sees the swell peak. Saturday morning is 8ft from the NNW with a strong energy reading of 976, and the wind freshens to 31 mph from the NNW – still cross-off. This is solid, powerful surf, but it’s getting up there. For a competent intermediate, this is potentially the pick of the period, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. The 8-second period means it’s going to be raw and lumpy on the surface, but there’s plenty of push.

Sunday the 16th stays solid at 8ft, with the same NNW wind and strong energy at 598. Still heavy, and the crowds might be a bit of a factor, as Porto Batel tends to draw a few when the size shows.

Early the following week, Monday the 17th, the wind picks up to a fresh 39 mph from the N, still cross-off, with 7ft of swell. The surface is going to be messy – more of a battle than a pleasure. Tuesday and Wednesday hold similar size – around 7ft to 8ft – but the wind stays fresh out of the N/NNW. Powerful, but the quality is compromised.

Now, for the real gem: Thursday the 20th morning. We finally get a break in the wind – it swings around to a light 11 mph from the east, which is offshore for Porto Batel. The swell is a solid 7ft from the NNW with moderate energy of 554. This is the one to pencil in. The period is still 8 seconds, but that light offshore wind is going to clean it right up and give you some proper shape on the point. This is your standout – the best chance for a glassy, well-formed wave. It’s promising, but it's over a week out, so keep an eye on it.

As for the water temp – it’s sitting at about 59°F right now, which is about average for this time of year, so you’ll want the hood and booties.

So, in short: there’s a lull for the next few days, then a building but lumpy swell over the weekend, and the real standout arrives on Thursday the 20th with that light offshore wind. Don’t sleep on it, but don’t hold your breath for the rest.

Later, Rusty.

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