Porto da Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the stretch ahead for Porto da Cruz. This is a reef break, fairly consistent but it’s been a tough run of forecasts. The water’s sitting at 75°F which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice little bonus if you’re in the water, but the quality of the surf itself has been a real letdown.

Right from the start on Monday the 20th, we’ve got a tiny 3 ft NE swell, but with a cross-on northerly wind at 9 mph, it’s just messy and choppy. The combined energy is weak (46), and it’s all poor surf conditions. That pattern just keeps going through the week. The swell bumps up a bit, but the wind stays cross-on, staying in that 9 to 12 mph range, making it hard to get clean faces. The combined energy starts to climb into the moderate range by Wednesday the 22nd (117), but the wave comment is still poor. Thursday the 23rd sees a touch more size at 4 ft, but still not worth paddling out for.

The real issue is that the wind direction never swings into a good offshore position for this spot. For Porto da Cruz, the optimum direction is N, but we’re seeing cross-on from the north and north-northeast almost the whole time. The wave period stays short, mostly between 5 and 8 seconds, so it’s weak, bumpy windswell. There’s a long stretch of nothing that’s worth recommending. The first several days are a total write-off.

We finally get a glimmer on Thursday the 30th. The morning shows 5 ft NE swell, and the wind drops to a light breeze from the NNW, giving a light cross-shore with just small ripples. The combined energy jumps to 399, which is solid moderate. The wave comment goes from “poor” to “marginal,” scoring a 1 out of 10. It’s not classic, but it’s the first time the wind isn’t ruining it. The swell period is still a short 8 seconds, so it’s not going to have much punch, but it won’t be as choppy. This is the only real stand-out in the whole 16 days.

After that, Friday the 31st through the 4th of August, the swell size gets bigger, hitting 7 ft to 8 ft, and the combined energy gets strong, up to 1106 on the 4th. But the wind stays stubbornly cross-on, with winds up to 12 mph, so it’s going to be a real washing machine. For a reef break, that’s a mess. The 8 ft swell on the 4th is really only for experienced surfers, but with that cross-on wind, it’s not going to be a good look. The whole setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing through that period.

So, bottom line: the best of a bad bunch is the morning of Thursday the 30th. It’s not a standout by any means, but it’s the only time the wind gives you a break. The rest of the window is a write-off for clean surf at Porto da Cruz.

Rusty.

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