Porto da Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's break it down in feet.

First up, the outlook for Porto da Cruz over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it's a tough stretch ahead. There's very little to get excited about for quite a while, with a real dry spell on the cards.

We start with Friday the 10th. Tiny waves, barely a ripple, with a 1.3ft NW swell and very weak energy (18). Forget it for a paddle.

Saturday the 11th sees a bit more size, 4.3ft from the NNW on the morning, with moderate energy (386), but the wind is cross-shore and a bit breezy. It's a messy, poor setup.

Sunday the 12th morning is your first flicker of hope. The swell drops to 3.3ft from the NNW, but the wind goes glassy with a light offshore touch from the WNW. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 73.8°, which is a nice bonus. The waves are clean but ordinary. Still, if you are desperate, that's your only window this week.

Then we hit a massive dead zone. From Sunday afternoon all the way through to Monday the 20th, it is just poor conditions. Lots of cross-onshore winds and building chop as the swell tries to push up. The swell gets bigger, hitting 7.2ft by Sunday the 19th, but with a strong onshore wind at 16 mph from the N, it's blown out rubbish.

The first real standout doesn't arrive until Tuesday the 22nd. The swell hangs around 5.2ft from the NNE, but look at the energy numbers. Tuesday afternoon jumps to a massive 1147, which is serious power. The wind is light and variable, mostly onshore, but with that much energy, the reef should still offer something. It's a marginal call, but the potential for a solid, powerful wave is there. The downside? The swell is a bit too much for beginners, and the break is fairly consistent but can get crowded.

The real best bet, and the one to circle, is Saturday the 25th. Early morning sees a 4.6ft NE swell with moderate energy (152) and glassy conditions thanks to an ESE breeze. It's a clean, surfable wave with ordinary conditions. The wind stays light and glassy into the afternoon, and the energy picks up a little to 205. This is your top pick. It's not huge, but it will be clean, and with the reef handling the longer 6-second period, it should offer a few fun lines. Keep in mind it's a pretty consistent spot for this area, so the quiet spells are a bit unusual.

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