Praia da Foz Cabo Espichel Sesimbra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a bleak stretch ahead for Praia da Foz. The ol’ ocean is just not playing ball for us for the most part. We’ve got a solid 16-day window, but I’m seeing a whole lot of “poor surf conditions” in the cards, especially from the get-go.

For the first week or so, we're looking at tiny, weak surf. The energy is just about non-existent, with combined swell energy barely scratching triple digits (98, 55). We're talking ankle-biters to knee-high slop. There’s a little bump on Friday the 21st when some moderate energy rolls in (211, 415), pushing the swell to around 4ft to 5ft. But the wind is going to be cross-onshore and lumpy, so it’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. Not worth your time unless you’re desperate. Saturday and Sunday follow the same pattern: chest-high at best, but that fresh, strong breeze is going to shred it to pieces. It’s a classic case of the ocean having all the power, but none of the shape.

That run of messy, cross-onshore junk continues well into the next week. The waves stay in that 3ft to 4ft range with onshore winds. The swell period is short too, mostly in the 6-8 second range, which means disorganized, gutless waves.

Then, we get a slight glimmer of hope. The last day of August, the 31st, has a lone score of 1 out of 10, which is the first non-zero I see. It’s still marginal, with a 5ft swell at 9 seconds from the northwest. The winds on Monday morning look light and straight onshore, which might give it some shape, but there’s a questionable tide condition that has me hesitating to call it a go-to.

Tuesday the 1st drops back into the poor column, and that’s where it stays as we head into Wednesday the 2nd. There is a little more energy on that final day (246), but the wind is already cross-onshore, so it will just chase it into slop. This break is a reef set up that needs a solid west swell and low wind to shine. This forecast is just not giving us either.

So, what’s the call? If you’re an experienced surfer looking for a challenge, maybe paddle out on the morning of Monday, August 31st. It’s the only one with any sort of clearance. Just keep your expectations low and manage the jumbled conditions. For anyone else, it’s a great time to go for a swim or check out the stunning coastline from the sand. This is one of those stretches where it just doesn't favor the surfer. But you know the ocean; it can turn around quick, so don’t write it off entirely. Forecasts can change.

Rusty

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