Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s get into the 16-day picture for this spot. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a long stretch of messy conditions before we finally get a few clean windows worth paddling for.

The outlook starts from Saturday, 5th September, with the first surfable waves. The water is sitting at 68°, which is about average for the time of year—nothing unusual there.

We kick off with a real tease. On Saturday morning, the 5th, Praia das Macas has a clean, glassy start with a slight air and offshore-style wind out of the NE at just 3 mph. The swell is small at 3 ft from the WNW, with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 121. It’s surfable, but honestly, the waves are very ordinary. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, so it’s okay for a gentle paddle, but don’t expect any fireworks.

The rest of that first week is a tough one. From Saturday afternoon all the way through to the end of the following week, the wind is a problem. It’s mostly cross or cross-onshore, often fresh to strong, with speeds hitting 19 to 25 mph. The swell picks up a bit—Sunday morning the 6th sees a 4 ft swell from the NW with a period of 12 seconds, but it’s cross-shore and choppy. By Monday the 7th, we’ve got 5 ft swell from the west, but the wind is a fresh cross-on, making it lumpy. The combined energy for that Monday morning is a solid 859, showing there’s plenty of power, but it’s just too messy. This stretch is a write-off for a proper surf. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The standouts finally arrive in the second week. Sunday morning, 13th September, is the best on offer. We get clean conditions with offshore wind out of the east at 6 mph. The swell is 4 ft from the NNW with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 454, and it’s a clean, glassy morning. This is a beginner-friendly break, and the offshore wind will make it smooth. It’s not a huge swell, but for a clean session, this is the one to aim for.

Another good, clean window pops up on Monday morning, 14th September. We’ve got a cross-offshore breeze from the south at just 3 mph, making for a clean surface. The swell drops to 3 ft from the NW with a period of 10 seconds, combined energy of 202. It’s small but clean, good for a longboard or a fun little session.

And then again on Tuesday morning, 15th September, we see another clean morning. Light cross-offshore wind from the south at 6 mph, with a 4 ft swell from the NNW, but this time the period is a very short 6 seconds, so the energy is low at 213. It’ll be clean but a bit weak and crumbly.

After those few bright spots, the wind swings back onshore from the 16th onward, and the surf quality drops again. By the 18th, the swell fades to tiny 2 ft, and the energy is weak (78), so it’s a real flat spell to finish the outlook. There’s a brief marginal window on the 20th, but the wind is onshore, so it’s not worth getting excited about.

So, to wrap it up: fight through the messy first week, and make sure you’re free on the morning of Sunday, 13th September. That’s the cleanest, most promising day of the whole run. The Monday and Tuesday mornings after that are also worth a look if you’re desperate for a paddle.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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