Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a proper standout session to wait for, but some smaller windows of clean surf to tide you over.

Right now, we’re looking at a pretty grim start. The wind is howling out of the north, cross to cross-on, and that small swell is all over the shop with poor conditions. The water’s running at 65°F and sits a notable 4°F colder than average for this time of year, so don’t forget the extra rubber. You’ll need to be patient through the first few days.

Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th are a write-off. Moderate to fresh breezes messing up what little waist-high swell is out there. The energy levels are moderate, around the 200 mark (moderate wave energy), but the quality just isn’t there. Don’t bother.

Things start looking up on Sunday the 13th. There’s a nice window in the morning at Praia das Macas. A clean 3ft swell from the NW with a proper long period of 13 seconds and a light SE cross-off breeze. The water’s got some good energy behind it (346), and it’ll be clean. That’s your first real chance for a fun, easy paddle. Monday the 14th morning is similar with a clean 3ft NW swell, 11-second period, and light SSE winds, though energy is a bit lower (272). Aim for the early sessions both days.

Then we hit a rough patch again. Tuesday and Wednesday see building wind, especially Wednesday the 16th when a near-gale out of the north blows out a proper 10ft swell. The energy readings for that day are massive, over 1300, which means there’s serious power in the ocean, but for a beginner-friendly beach like this, that’s a washout with the onshore wind. That one is for kite surfers only, not for paddle surfing.

We get a bit of a reprieve on Thursday the 17th morning – a clean 6ft NW groundswell with light ENE cross-off winds. That’s a fair step up in size and the energy is still high (1077), but the conditions are clean. This is for more experienced surfers, as that size at this beach will pack a punch. The afternoon gets messy again.

From the 19th through to the 22nd, we see a few more promising windows. The real standout is set for the morning of Tuesday the 22nd of September. The forecast is showing glassy conditions with a 5ft NW swell, a very long 13-second period, and a massive energy reading of 921. It’s showing “very good surf conditions” with the wind swinging light southwesterly and glassy. That is the session to circle on the calendar. It’ll be clean, long-period, and pumping with that strong, well-directed swell. Crowds are likely here, so get in early. The afternoon on the 22nd gets bigger though, up to 6ft, but goes onshore, so stick to the morning.

After that, the second week looks a bit lackluster. A few small clean windows here and there, like the 23rd morning, but the wind tends to get on it. The energy levels drop and the consistency fades. It’s not a complete write-off, but you’ll be scratching around for a wave.

On the whole, the best bet by a long shot is the glassy morning on Tuesday the 22nd of September at Praia das Macas. That NW groundswell with that period and clean conditions is your golden ticket. The Sunday 13th and Monday 14th mornings are your solid fallback for smaller, cleaner fun.

Stay frothy, and I’ll catch you in the water.
Rusty

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