Tabinha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at your local stretch here. Straight up, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell hitting us. For the next couple of weeks, the surf is going to be a struggle. The only break in the region that gets a mention is Tabinha, so that’s where we’re hanging our hat, but it’s a tough watch.

Looking at the whole picture, the pattern is stubborn. We’ve got a persistent, moderate east-northeasterly wind that just won’t let up. It’s cross, cross-on, or sometimes cross-off, but never truly glassy for long. The swell is all short-period windswell, mostly from the east, and while the height sits between 3ft and 5ft, the quality is just poor across the board. Nobody is scoring this stuff.

For the first week, from August 21st right through to the 27th, it’s a write-off. The wind is constantly messing it up. Even when we get a "clean" label, the swell energy is only moderate (between 141 and 258) with a period of just 6 to 8 seconds, so the waves are weak and crumbly. It’s the kind of surf you paddle out for out of desperation, not stoke.

There’s a long gap here where you’re better off doing something else. The whole first week is a bust. We go all the way into the start of September with the same story: moderate cross-shore winds and short, weak swell. The crowds at Tabinha are listed as "sometimes", but honestly, with this quality, nobody will be out.

Now, looking into the second week, there’s a tiny glimmer. By the morning of Friday, September 4th, we start seeing the swell energy tick up to 217, and by Saturday the 5th, it climbs to 287. That’s still moderate energy, but it’s noticeably better than anything before. The swell height hits 5ft with a period stretching to 8 seconds, which is the best period of the whole outlook. The wind also eases a little, especially on Saturday afternoon where it drops to 12 mph. If you were going to pick a time to get wet, Saturday the 5th is the standout. But even then, it’s a "cross" wind, so don’t expect perfection. For an intermediate-level surfer, this is about as good as it gets, but it’s still average at best.

Water temperature at Tabinha sits at 81°F with an anomaly of 2°, which is pretty standard for this time of year. No surprises there.

So, the call is this: there’s no real fire in this forecast. If you’re desperate for a paddle, point your board at Tabinha on the morning of Saturday, September 5th. Expect 5ft of east swell with a moderate cross-shore wind. It’s not going to be world-class, but it’s the best we’ve got. For the rest? Save your energy.

Rusty.

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