Praia do Pontal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m gonna be straight with you – this is a tough stretch for Praia do Pontal. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off. We’ve got a solid run of poor surf conditions and the wind is just not playing ball. The first few days are a mess, and it doesn’t really let up. The only blip of something halfway interesting is way out near the end, but even that comes with a big "but."

So, let’s start at the beginning. From Tuesday the 4th through to the end of the second week, we’re looking at a real dry spell. The swell is small, mostly under 3 ft, and the wind is stuck onshore or cross-onshore, chopping everything up. For the first week, the swell is coming from the SE with a short period, around 8 seconds, so it’s weak and junky. The combined energy is low to moderate – you’ll see numbers like 340 or 508, but that’s not doing much good with the wind. The water temp is sitting at 80°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing to get excited about there.

The first real hint of something different doesn’t show up until Saturday the 15th. The morning of the 15th, we get a jump in swell – 3 ft from the south with a very long period of 16 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 765, which is a decent pulse. The wind is light from the east, so it’s a cross-on breeze, but it’s light, so maybe it’s not totally trashed. The comment says "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions," which is the best we’ve seen in a fortnight. The afternoon of the 15th keeps the swell going at 4 ft from the south, period at 15 seconds, and energy up to 819. But the wind picks up a bit and it’s still cross-on, so it’s not clean.

Now, the caveat here is that the optimum swell direction for this spot is south, and we’re getting that. The long period (15-16 seconds) is a classic groundswell, which will have more power and shape, but at a beach break like Pontal, it can break too straight. You’ll want to be looking for a bank that lines it up. This is really the only standout in the whole forecast, and it’s over a week away – so treat it as promising but not a guarantee. The 16th and 17th still have some south swell, but the wind gets stronger and the period drops, so it’s not as good.

Bottom line: you’ll be waiting until the second weekend of August for the only real chance at a wave. The rest of the time, it’s a skunk. For the size of the swell on the 15th, around 3 ft to 4 ft, it’s manageable for intermediates, but the long period might make it a bit tricky for beginners. The crowds are listed as "sometimes" for Pontal, so you might have company, but it’s not a zoo.

That’s the picture. The forecast can change, and it’s been a lean run, so when it’s this quiet for this long, something usually gives. But right now, I’d save your energy and wait for that Saturday morning.

Rusty.

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