Porto da Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Porto da Cruz.

To be honest, looking at the whole sixteen-day stretch, it's a pretty grim run for paddling. There's not a single session that gets a nod for good surf. We're staring down a long, quiet gap right from the start, with no real recommendations until we get into the second week. The first real chance of anything even borderline rideable doesn't show up until the morning of Monday the 18th of August, and even that's a marginal call. Before that, it's just day after day of small, weak, choppy junk.

The water temp is sitting at 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won't be freezing while you're staring at flat water.

That first flicker of life comes on Monday the 18th of August. The morning is still a no-go, but the afternoon session shows a bit of a pulse: swell from the NNE at 6 ft, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 461 (moderate wave energy). The wind is light from the NNW, which is cross-on, so it won't be glassy, but it's light. Still, the forecast calls it "marginal," so expectations should be low.

Tuesday the 19th of August looks a bit more promising. The morning has a 6 ft swell from the NE, 8-second period, with 435 (moderate) energy. The wind is light from the NW and cross-shore, which is a bit better, with only small crossing wind ripples. That's the closest we get to a clean window. The afternoon is similar, with a light cross-on breeze.

After that, the wind picks up again through the rest of the week, with moderate breezes and the swell hanging around the 6 ft to 7 ft range, but it stays choppy and the reports keep calling it poor. The energy does build into the 500s and 600s (strong wave energy), with the swell from the NNE, but it's all cross-on or onshore wind, making it a mess.

So, if you're looking for the one standout, it's Tuesday the 19th of August, morning session. The 6 ft NE swell with a light, cross-shore NW wind is the best combination of size and cleaner conditions we get. But even then, it's only a marginal call. This is a reef break that's fairly consistent, but it's also an "often" crowded spot, so if it does get a little bit of life, you won't be alone.

Honestly, for most of this period, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, especially when the wind is up and the swell is pushing over 5 ft with a chop. For the rest of us, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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