Ribeira D'ilhas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer at Ribeira D'ilhas over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – the first week and a half is a real struggle. We're looking at a lot of lumpy, choppy, generally poor conditions. The wind is just a menace, mostly cross-onshore from the north, and it's messing up what could be a decent swell. We have to wait a good long while, right through to the morning of Sunday the 13th of September, before we get a sniff of something worth paddling out for.

Now, that Sunday the 13th, that's the one we're circling on the calendar. The swell is a solid 7ft from the NNW, and the combined energy is pumping with a strong 561 reading. But the real story is the wind. It's glassy. A slight air from the SW, turning the surface to absolute glass. For a reef break like Ribeira, that's a dream. The forecast says expect very good surf conditions, and given the clean, glassy conditions, this is your standout. It's a big swell though, over 8ft? No, it's 7ft, which is a solid size, not quite for beginners, but not just for experts either. A good, powerful wave for the experienced crew. The water temp is sitting around 69°F with a temp anomaly of 0.4°F, so it's pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year.

The afternoon of that same day, the wind swaps to a cross-shore from the WSW, and the quality drops off. So, make the most of that morning window. After that, it's back to mediocrity for the rest of the forecast. The morning of the 14th has some clean, cross-off wind, but the swell is tiny at 3ft and the energy is weak (114). It's surfable, but nothing to get excited about.

So, the long and short of it is: one clear standout. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off, a long stretch of windy, junk surf. But that one Sunday morning session at Ribeira D'ilhas? That's the one that could make it all worthwhile. Keep your eyes on that forecast.

Rusty.

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