Porto Batel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Porto Batel has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a tough one. We’ve got a real dry spell here. From Friday the 7th of August all the way through to Thursday the 13th, it’s pretty much a write-off. The waves are tiny, mostly under 3ft, and the energy is weak (the combined swell energy barely cracks 188 at its best). The wind is mostly cross-off, which would normally be a good sign, but there’s just no proper swell to work with. It’s frustrating, but sometimes that’s the way it goes.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Friday, August 14th. The morning session at Porto Batel is the standout of the entire forecast period. We’re looking at a clean 4ft NW groundswell, with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-off. The combined energy jumps to 453 (moderate), and the water temp is sitting at 68°, which is pretty normal for this time of year. The swell direction is a little west of the optimum, but it’s still a solid, clean wave that will have some decent shape. Expect a few other heads out there, as crowds are sometimes an issue.

Now, Saturday the 15th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning has some size at 5ft from the NW, but the wind is directly onshore, making it a mess. The afternoon gets worse. Skip it.

Sunday, August 16th is your next real target. The morning is absolutely magic – glassy conditions, 7ft of NNW swell, and the combined energy is strong at 537. The wind is dead calm, so it’s gonna be clean as a whistle. It’s a bit of size for beginners, pushing into intermediate territory, but the quality is there. The afternoon holds up too, with a nice cross-off breeze and 6ft, though the period drops to 8 seconds, so it’s a bit more of a windswell.

The start of the following week, Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th, keeps the consistency going. Monday morning has a clean 5ft from the NNW with a light cross-off wind. Tuesday morning is similar, with the same size and clean conditions. The combined energy is moderate, around the 250 mark. The afternoons get choppy, so stick to the mornings.

Into the second week, things get a bit more mixy. From Wednesday the 19th through to Thursday the 20th, the wind turns onshore or cross-shore, and the quality drops. But then Friday, August 21st roars back. We’re looking at a solid 7ft to 8ft of NW/NNW swell, with a moderate swell energy reading over 700 (strong). This is for experienced surfers only – it’s too big for beginners. The wind is a stiff cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but it’s a powerful, chunky wave. Keep an eye on the tide.

Finally, Saturday the 22nd brings a clean 6ft morning session with a light cross-off, but the afternoon gets hammered by a 35 km/h (22 mph) wind, so that’s a no-go.

If I had to pick the absolute best, it’s a tie between the glassy 7ft on Sunday the 16th morning and the clean 4ft groundswell on Friday the 14th morning. The 14th is more user-friendly, but the 16th is the one for the photo.

Rusty out.

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