Porto Batel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s get this out there. For the first week and a bit, it’s going to be a waiting game at Porto Batel (São Miguel). The good news is, when the magic finally shows up, it’s going to be a ripper. The water is currently sitting at 63°, which is a solid 4° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good thick wetsuit and a hood. Don’t be fooled by the early window; it’s pretty dead.

The first few days are a write-off. Sunday and Monday are just flat, messy, and cross-onshore. Nothing to get excited about. Tuesday the 14th, the morning goes glassy, but the swell is tiny at 2ft from the WNW with a short, weak period of 6 seconds. The energy is very low (77), so you’re looking at dribblers on a point that needs a bit of push. After that, it’s just clean but tiny waves for days, with the wind howling out of the north. There’s a massive gap in real surf from the 12th through to the 17th.

Then things start to get interesting. The first real standout is Wednesday the 22nd. The morning session is looking like the pick of the trip. We’ve got a clean 7ft swell from the NNW, with a good 9-second period pumping in. The wind is a gentle offshore from the NNW, so it’s going to be tidy. The combined energy is strong (708), so there’s plenty of grunt. This is a proper point break wave, and that long period will make it stand up nicely. It’s going to be a touch on the big side for beginners, but for intermediates and above, it’s the one to circle. The crowd factor is “sometimes,” so expect a few out, but it won’t be a circus.

The following few days stay solid, but the size gets serious. Friday the 24th morning is the next big mark. You’re looking at a 10ft swell from the NNW with a 10-second period, and the energy is massive (1924). This is big, powerful groundswell. The wind is light offshore, so it will be clean, but at this size, it’s strictly for experts. That point is going to handle it, but the paddle out will be a mission and the sets will be heavy. Points can handle this kind of long-period swell very well, so it might be the best wave of the whole window, but you need to be on your game.

After that, it slowly fades. The 26th and 27th are still a bit chunky, with 6ft to 5ft of swell, but the wind is back up to 18 mph, making it gusty and less appealing. So, in a nutshell: suffer through the first week, then get ready for a solid run from Wednesday the 22nd. The 22nd morning is your best bet for a high-quality session, with the 24th morning being the big, serious swell day for the brave.

Rusty.

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