The Rock-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab your wettie, let’s have a look at what’s on offer at The Rock-Costa Azul over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water is a toasty 89°F, which is *much warmer* than normal for this time of year – you’ll be surfing in a bath. Don’t expect any hero waves just yet though. Sunday the 23rd is a write-off with a tiny 2ft SSW swell and a messy cross-shore wind. You’d be better off staying on the beach.

Monday the 24th isn’t much better. Morning is still a scratchy 4ft with that cross wind, but the afternoon cleans up nicely with a cross-offshore breeze and a 5ft SSW swell. It’s not going to be a classic, but it’s the first clean window we get. The swell energy is moderate (959).

Tuesday the 25th is where things start to look interesting. The morning is a bit of a write-off with a light onshore breeze, but Tuesday afternoon? That’s the first real standout. We’ve got a clean 2ft SW groundswell rolling in at a long 16 seconds, with a glassy cross-offshore wind. The energy is moderate (543) but the wave quality is solid. For a reef break, that long period will really line up, giving you long, drawn-out walls. This is the pick of the first week.

We hit a bit of a flat patch from Wednesday the 26th through Thursday the 27th – tiny swell and a mix of onshore and cross winds. Friday the 28th sees a bump in size to 4ft and then 5ft SSW, with that long period (17s) and moderate energy (1151-1467), but the wind is a bit messy. The real action picks up from Saturday the 29th, with 5ft SSW swell, decent energy (1550), and a clean cross-offshore breeze in the afternoons.

Now, if you’re an experienced surfer, mark your calendar for Monday the 31st of August. The morning is an absolute dream: 5ft of SSW groundswell, a 10-second period, and *glassy* conditions. The swell energy is moderate (811) but the clean, windless surface will make it feel like a million bucks. That’s your second standout.

After that, the first week of September gets a bit lumpy. Tuesday the 1st has a clean 5ft SSE swell in the afternoon, and Wednesday the 2nd offers 5ft to 6ft with light winds, but the swell direction is a little off for the optimum S direction.

Warning: From Thursday the 3rd of September, things get serious. A massive swell hits, with heights over 8ft and a combined energy reading of 2768 – that’s strong energy. By Friday the 4th, it’s cranking 12ft with a huge 5609 energy reading. This is *expert-only* territory and the wind is ugly. The swell is simply too big for this break, and it’s blown out. Kite surfers might love it, but for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go.

It calms down a bit on Saturday the 5th with 7ft SSW, but still not ideal. Sunday the 6th? Another massive pulse: 16ft of SSE swell with an incredible 8140 energy reading. Again, too big and the wind is onshore. This is a dangerous, heavy day.

The very last window, Monday the 7th of September morning, offers a last chance: 8ft SSW swell with a short 8-second period, but it’s *glassy* and clean. The energy is moderate (1034). That’s a solid, clean wave for experienced surfers only – it’s a good way to finish the run.

So, to sum it up: the best windows are Tuesday afternoon the 25th for a small, clean long-period swell, and Monday morning the 31st for that glassy perfection. The second week is mostly big, messy, and dangerous for all but the most hardcore.

Stay salty.

Rusty

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