The Rock-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, folks. Rusty here. Let's talk about what's ahead for The Rock-Costa Azul.

The next few weeks are all about The Rock-Costa Azul, a reef break that’s consistent and handles a good southerly swell. We’ve got a run of small but clean conditions coming, with a real standout day mid-week that's got my pulse going. Water temps are running pretty normal for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary.

It all kicks off on Monday, 14th September. Morning glass-off, wind from the south at just 3 mph, air still, waves around 0.7m from the southwest with a long period of 18 seconds. It’s a groundswell, so sets will have some punch. Combined wave energy is 408, which is moderate, but the conditions will be about as smooth as it gets. Perfect for a quiet session, though the swell is small.

Monday afternoon sees the wind shift to a west-southwest cross-off at 9 mph, waves drop a hair to 0.6m but the energy is similar (421). Clean enough, but the morning was the pick of that day.

Tuesday the 15th is a bit messy with a cross-on wind, not ideal. Wednesday morning, 16th September, is still cross-on with only 1.0m swell, but come Wednesday afternoon, we get a decent bump. The south-southwest swell pushes to 1.1m, period 15 seconds, combined energy at a solid 698 (moderate), and the wind turns cross-off at 9 mph from the west-southwest. Expect very good surf conditions.

But the real standout? Thursday, 17th September. Thursday afternoon is where it’s at. The swell is 1.0m from the south-southwest, 14-second period, energy at 721. The wind goes light west-southwest at 3 mph – that’s cross-off and almost glassy. The call is for “very good surf conditions.” This is clean, shoulder-high reef waves with a long-period push. It won’t be huge, but the quality will be silky. It's an advanced break, so if you know the take-off, this is the session.

Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th keep the small train rolling – 0.7m to 0.9m, mostly clean with that west-southwest cross-off wind. Good for a longboard or a fun mid-length.

Now, into the second week, we see a real uptick. Sunday morning, 20th September, things start to look better. The swell gets to 1.1m from the southwest, 17-second period, and combined energy is 793 (moderate). That west-southwest wind at 9 mph is cross-off and clean. Good, smooth lines.

Then Monday morning, 21st September, we have the best swell of the run so far. A solid 1.2m southwest groundswell at 17 seconds, combined energy hitting 933. The wind is light from the southwest at 3 mph, cross-off, and the forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." That's a proper waist-to-chest high day, clean, with plenty of push.

Monday afternoon stays good with a clean offshore wind from the west, though there is a risk of thunderstorms. The rest of the week holds 1.0m to 1.1m swells, with Tuesday afternoon the 22nd offering a clean offshore (west, 9 mph) and good conditions.

The very end of the period, on Tuesday morning, 29th September, shows a pulse of bigger swell – 1.8m from the southeast at 16 seconds. Combined energy is 1979, which is strong. But the wind is a light cross-on from the south-southeast, 3 mph. That’s a lot of juice, but the direction isn’t ideal for the break's optimum. For expert surfers only if it cleans up, but it's a long way off and uncertain.

Crowds are “often” at The Rock, so on the standout days (Thursday afternoon the 17th, Monday morning the 21st), expect company, but the quality should make it worth it.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is small but has one glassy gem Thursday afternoon. The second week has more size and a top contender Monday morning.

Keep your eyes on Thursday and Monday sessions, and I'll see you out there.

Rusty.

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