Puerto Viejo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break it down in old-school units.

We’ve got a solid start on the cards. The first bit of action kicks off this Friday afternoon, the 4th of September, with a nice little pulse of swell. Puerto Viejo is the spot, and it’s looking like a beach-and-point setup that’s fairly exposed to the southwest. The water is sitting at 70°, which is a solid 8° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s mighty unusual, so you’ll be in for a treat if you’re used to a wetsuit.

The standout session is definitely Friday afternoon. We’re looking at a 4ft groundswell from the southwest with a long 15 second period, pushing a combined energy of 737 (moderate). The wind is a gentle cross-off from the south-southwest, and the forecast is for some clouds and clean, well-shaped waves. This is a proper long-period groundswell, so at a point break like Puerto Viejo, it’ll set up beautifully. It’s not too big for intermediates, but if you’re a beginner, 4ft with that long period might feel a bit strong. Crowds are often here, so get there early.

Saturday the 5th is still good, just a tad smaller. Morning and afternoon both see 4ft and 4ft from the southwest with a 14 second period, combined energy at 576 and 463. The wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll stay clean. Sunday the 6th drops a little more to 3ft, but the wind goes glassy light in the morning with a slight air, so it’ll be super clean. Through Monday and Tuesday, the swell hovers around 2ft to 3ft, but the wind turns offshore on Tuesday, making for some really nice, clean lines.

From Wednesday the 9th through Friday the 11th, we’re still in the 2ft to 3ft range with light winds and clean conditions. The combined energy eases from 544 down to 331, but it’s still surfable. That long period (13-15 seconds) keeps the shape good.

Now, things get a bit tricky on Saturday the 12th. The morning brings a 4ft swell from the south-southwest, but the period drops to a short 8 seconds and the wind goes cross-on from the west-northwest. That’s a messy combo. The afternoon improves with a cross-off wind, but the 8-second period still makes it a bit lumpy. Sunday the 13th is weak and poor early, with a cross wind, but the afternoon turns offshore and clean, though the swell is only 3ft.

The second week, from the 14th onwards, is a slow fade. We’ve got 2ft to 3ft from the southwest with periods that are all over the place. The 16-second period on Monday the 14th is very long, which will make the waves lineup at the point but they’ll be small. The 15th and 16th have some light offshore or cross-off winds, keeping the surface clean. By the 17th, the combined energy is down to 193, and by the 19th, we’re looking at 1ft with a very long 19-second period – that’s more of a glass-off than a surf session.

So, the pick of the two weeks is hands down Friday afternoon the 4th at Puerto Viejo. The combination of a favourable 4ft southwest groundswell, long 15-second period, light cross-off wind, and that warm water makes it the best session on offer. The next best is Tuesday the 8th, with 3ft and a clean offshore wind.

Rusty.

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