Praia da Vila Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Praia da Vila over the next couple of weeks.

Right now, the surf is flat outta the gate. We’ve got a decent run of small, clean days but nothing with any real push until the 21st of July. From Saturday the 18th through to Monday the 20th, the swell is just a whisper – 0.7ft to 1ft – so you’re better off waxing the longboard or taking a few days off. The water is sitting at 61°, which is a good 5° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent steamer if you’re paddling out.

Things start to get interesting on Tuesday the 21st. We’ve got a 5ft ENE swell rolling in during the morning, but it’s onshore, messy. The afternoon cleans up nicely though – glassy conditions with a 4ft ENE swell, 8-second period. The combined swell energy is moderate (327), and it’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. Wednesday the 22nd is similar: 4ft ENE swell, clean offshore winds through the morning, but the period is short, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy.

Thursday the 23rd is a write-off – onshore winds and rain, swell around 6ft but blown out. Friday the 24th is a beauty of a pick. Glassy morning, 5ft SSE swell, 8-second period, and the combined energy is moderate (336). The wind is light, the surf is clean, and it’s a good one for intermediates. The break is a sandbar, very consistent, and crowds are only sometimes a problem, so you’ll get plenty of waves.

Now, the standout. Saturday the 25th of July – afternoon session. The wind drops to glassy, and we’ve got a 6ft ENE swell rolling in, with a 7-second period. The combined energy is strong (730), and the conditions are glassy. This is the best on offer in the first week. It’s a solid, punchy sandbar wave, and with that offshore wind, it’ll be peeling nicely. For intermediates, it’s a goer. For beginners, it’s a bit on the bigger side.

The second week gets a bit patchy. The 26th and 27th have some onshore wind issues, but Monday the 27th afternoon is a ripper. Glassy conditions, 6ft ENE swell, 8-second period, and combined energy of 524. That’s another standout – clean, strong, and consistent. The 29th of July Wednesday afternoon is also worth a look: 6ft ENE swell, 11-second period, good long-period groundswell, with clean cross-offshore winds. The combined energy is strong (789). That’s a session for experienced surfers – the longer period will make the waves more powerful, but they’ll hold shape nicely on the sandbar.

The 31st of July Friday afternoon is a big one. 7ft E swell, 8-second period, combined energy a massive 1314. That’s strong wave energy, and it’s clean with cross-offshore winds. This is only for experienced surfers – it’s big, powerful, and the short period will make it a bit walled up. The 1st of August Saturday morning is glassy with 8ft E swell, 8-second period, energy 1697 – very strong, expert-only territory. The 2nd of August tails off with smaller, cleaner surf but nothing special.

Overall, the best windows are Saturday the 25th afternoon, Monday the 27th afternoon, and Wednesday the 29th afternoon. The 31st and 1st are big and powerful, but only for the crew who know what they’re doing.

Rusty.

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