Prainha do Farol Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up at Prainha do Farol.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a wait. The surf window kicks off on Monday the 13th of July, but it’s a pretty average start. The morning has a 7ft SSW swell, but it’s coming from the wrong direction for this spot – it’s an exposed S swell magnet, and this is coming in from the side. The wind is a 12 mph cross-off from the WSW, which keeps the surface clean, but the combined wave energy sits at 918 – moderate energy, but the mix is a bit messy. The water is a chilly 58°, and that’s a massive 7° colder than normal, so it’s very unusual for this time of year. Bring a good thick suit. The afternoon drops off to 5ft and gets choppy, so Monday is a pass.

Tuesday the 14th is where we start to see a flicker. The morning has a 6ft SE swell, period of 10 seconds, and light cross-off wind from the NNW at 6 mph. The wave energy is 601 – moderate, but the condition is clean. The swell direction is SE, which is a better angle for the spot’s optimum S direction, but it’s still a bit off. The score is a 3/10, which is the highest we’ll see for a while. It’s not a standout, but for a Tuesday morning with glassy-ish conditions, it’s the first real chance to get wet. The afternoon gets ruined by a 16 mph cross-shore, so go early.

From Wednesday the 15th through to the 20th of July, it’s a long, flat spell. Swell drops to 1.0ft and lower, with wave energy plummeting to 15 or 40. The wind is often clean, but there’s nothing to ride. That’s a solid 6-day gap of no surf.

Things start to look up on Monday the 20th of July in the morning. A 2ft S swell, 12-second period, and a glassy 3 mph wind from the north, with wave energy at 104. The comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” but that’s a step up. The next real chance is Tuesday the 21st of July, with a 3ft SSE swell, 12-second period, and 9 mph cross-shore from the SSW. Wave energy jumps to 531 – moderate. It’s marginal, but there’s a pulse.

The best on offer in the entire 16 days is actually Wednesday the 22nd of July afternoon. I know, a week and a half out. The swell is 3ft from the SSE, period 12 seconds, and the wind goes glassy (3 mph from the SSE). That’s “expect good surf conditions” with a score of 2/10. The wave energy is 428 – moderate. The swell direction (SSE) is a good match for this break’s optimum S direction. This is the standout session: clean, glassy, and a long-period groundswell that will wrap in nicely. The caveat is the long period – at 12 seconds, it’ll be a bit more lined up, but at a beach break, it might close out if it gets too big. But for a 3ft wave, it’s a sweet little window.

Thursday the 23rd of July afternoon sees a jump to 7ft S swell, but a short 7-second period and a 12 mph cross-shore make it a mess. Friday the 24th of July morning is another clean option with 5ft S swell, 9-second period, and light cross-off NNE wind. Wave energy is 448, moderate. Again, clean but not huge.

The last mention is Sunday the 26th of July, with 6ft SE swell, 12-second period, and a gentle cross-shore from the SW. Wave energy is 949 – getting into moderate-strong territory. The morning is marginal, but the afternoon has a 3/10 score, which makes it the second-best window. The wind is a light cross-onshore, so it’s a bit lumpy, but there’s size.

Overall, if you’re looking for a paddle, aim for the 22nd of July afternoon. That’s the true standout. The rest of the period is either flat, messy, or too small. We’ve got a long gap from the 15th to the 20th, so don’t hold your breath. The water is freakishly cold right now, but by the 22nd, it might ease up a little.

Rusty out.

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