Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for your area. Let’s be real—the first week is a write-off. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing but wind-blown junk and flat spells, so you’re not missing much if you leave the board in the car. The action doesn’t really kick off until the end of the month, and even then, you’ve got to pick your windows carefully.

The only break on the menu is Praia Cardoso. This spot is a beginner-friendly beach break that’s fairly consistent and exposed to the south swell. The water is sitting at 66°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

For the first week, from Friday the 21st through the end of August, the story is ugly. Strong onshore winds and messy cross-chop ruin any chance of a decent wave. The swell is there, between 6ft and 8ft, but it’s all short-period, wind-driven slop. The combined energy is moderate to strong (976 to 5868), but it’s paired with terrible conditions. Kite surfers might get a look in with that strong cross-onshore wind, but for paddle surfing, it’s a hard pass.

The real standout comes on Monday the 24th of August. The morning delivers a clean 10ft swell from the south, with a very long period of 16 seconds, and light offshore wind. The combined energy is massive at 5868. This is a proper groundswell. The problem is, it’s too big for this break—only for experts. The long period will make it grind too straight at the beach, so it’s a true big-wave session for the brave. The wind is nice and light, so the surface will be glassy, but the size is a beast.

After that, it drops off fast. Tuesday the 25th morning offers a cleaner, smaller 7ft south swell (period 13 seconds) with a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is 1452—moderate. It’s decent for experienced surfers, but it’s not a standout because the quality is only marginal by lunchtime.

Then we hit a big gap. From Wednesday the 26th through to the end of August, the swell shrinks to nothing useful—1ft to 5ft, weak energy (17 to 700), and mostly clean but tiny. It’s a flat spell, plain and simple.

The next flicker of hope comes on Saturday the 5th of September. Morning shows a clean 7ft south-southeast swell, period 11 seconds, with light offshore wind. The combined energy is 946, which is moderate. The guidance says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the best on offer in the whole 16-day window. The wind is light, the swell is solid, and it’s consistent. Crowds are possible here, so get there early. The direction is a close match to the optimum south swell, so it should line up nicely.

The afternoon of the 5th drops back to marginal, and that’s where the forecast ends.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The only real charge is Monday the 24th for experts only, and the best all-round session is Saturday the 5th of September. Don’t hold your breath for the rest.

Rusty

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