Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for this stretch of coast. To be honest, it’s a tough run of form. The wind is almost always a problem, and the surf quality is suffering for it. We’ve got the swell, but the conditions are just messy, and there’s a lot of waiting involved.

The only spot on the cards is Praia das Macas, a beginner-friendly beach break that’s consistent. It’s exposed to the swell, but the optimum direction is from the NW, and we get a mix of swells through the period. The water is sitting at 68°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing strange there.

The first couple of weeks are pretty much a write-off. From Saturday, August 1st, right through to the morning of Friday, August 15th, the wind is a persistent cross-onshore, and the comment is always “poor surf conditions.” The wave energy is mostly moderate, with readings like 154, 178, and 129, but it’s all chopped up. The swell is small too, mostly under 5 ft, but the wind just ruins it. There’s a little spike in energy on Thursday, August 6th, with a 261 reading and a clean 4 ft swell from the NNW, but the wind is a fresh 30–35 km/h cross-onshore, making it lumpy. Not worth suiting up for.

The real story comes in the second week, but it’s still not clean. By Thursday, August 13th, the swell is picking up to 7 ft–7 ft from the NNW, with strong energy readings of 513 and 511. That’s getting into expert territory for a beach break, and the period is short at 7 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit of a close-out. The wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a messy, powerful paddle.

The one standout, and I mean the only real chance for something decent, is the morning of Saturday, August 15th. The swell is 8 ft from the NNW, with a massive combined energy of 956, and the wind drops to a gentle 15 km/h cross-onshore. The comment shifts to “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” but it’s the best we’ve seen. The wind is light enough to maybe get a window of cleaner surf. This is a big, powerful beach break at 8 ft, so it’s experts only. The period is short at 8 seconds, so it's going to be a bumpy, powerful ride. The wind is cross-onshore, so it won't be glassy, but it's the best of a bad bunch. The afternoon is an onshore mess.

Sunday, August 16th, holds a similar 7 ft swell (794 energy) in the morning with a light 15 km/h cross-onshore, but it's still a “marginal” call. It’s not a guarantee.

So, overall, it’s a blank run for most of the 16 days. The wind is relentless. The only real window is the morning of the 15th, and even then, it’s a gamble. With the consistent cross-onshore winds and the beach break setup, this stretch honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of the period. Keep an eye on the forecasts, things can change, but right now, don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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