The Rock-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ at the forecast for The Rock-Costa Azul. This is a reef break that’s consistent and exposed, but we’ve got a bit of a slow start, so don’t rush to organise your crew just yet. The water is sitting at a very unusual 86°—that’s over 8° warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a proper standout.

The first real chance at a wave comes Friday afternoon, 10 July, with a 4ft SSW swell, 15-second period, and a clean cross-off wind from the SW. It’s not huge, but the energy is moderate (734), and the conditions should be tidy. The combo of a long-period groundswell and that offshore wind will make for some nice, lined-up waves on the reef.

Saturday and Sunday, 11–12 July, are similar in size, around 4–4ft from the SSW, but the winds are more of a mix. Saturday morning has a light cross-on, so it’ll be a bit bumpy, but the afternoons swing back to cross-off and clean. The energy is moderate (703–608), so you’ll get some fun ones, but it’s nothing to scream about.

Now, Monday 13 July is where it starts to get interesting. The swell drops to 3ft, but the period’s still a solid 13 seconds from the SSW, and the wind goes glassy in the morning, then light cross-off in the afternoon. The energy is moderate (573–506), but the conditions are ripe for a long, clean session. This is the best bet for the first week—small but perfect.

The swell drops right off Tuesday through Wednesday, 14–15 July, down to 2–2ft, with a very long 18-second period on Tuesday. That’s a groundswell, but it’s tiny. Tuesday afternoon goes glassy, so you might get a few knee-high runners if you’re keen, but it’s marginal.

Thursday 16 July sees a bump up to 5–5ft from the SSE, with a shorter 11–12 second period. The wind is cross to cross-on, so it’s a bit messy. The energy is moderate (760–805), but the quality’s not there. Friday 17 July pushes up to 7ft from the S, but with a strong cross-on wind, it’s choppy and not worth paddling out for.

The weekend of 18–19 July gets bigger, with 8ft on Saturday morning from the S, but it’s cross-on and choppy as hell. That’s getting into expert-only territory, but the wind is trash. Sunday drops back to 4ft from the SW, with a longer 17-second period, but the cross-on wind ruins it.

Now, the standout for the entire forecast is Monday 20 July afternoon. The swell is 7ft from the SSE, 11-second period, with a light cross-off wind from the SW. The energy is strong (1774), and the conditions are clean. This is the best size-to-wind combo of the whole run—definitely the one to circle on the calendar.

Tuesday 21 July gets even bigger, with 10–13ft from the SSE, but the notes say it’s too big for this break. Wind is light, but the swell is just too much for the reef. Same for Wednesday 22 July, with an insane 31–36ft swell—huge energy (43,298–56,774), but that’s a no-go zone for paddle surfing. That setup might be more interesting for kite surfing than anything else.

The rest of the second week, 23–25 July, drops back to 3–7ft, but the winds are all over the place. Saturday 25 July afternoon has a 3ft SW swell with a very long 19-second period and a clean offshore wind from the W—that’s a promising, glassy session for the experienced crew, but it’s a long way out.

Signing off, Rusty.

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