The Rock-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s break down The Rock-Costa Azul. This is a consistent reef that’s exposed and loves a good swell. The water is a balmy 88°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – over 4°F above the average, so it’s like a warm bath.

The first surf to look at is Saturday morning, August 29. We’ve got a 5ft SSW swell with a long 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell with solid energy (1303). The wind is a light cross-on from the south at 6 mph, so it’s a bit bumpy but not bad. The afternoon cleans up with a cross-off from the WSW at 12 mph, making for clean conditions. Still, the surf is marginal with tide issues, so it’s a picky session.

Sunday the 30th pushes bigger. The morning has 6ft from the SSW, period 14 seconds, energy 1370. That’s a solid size – a bit too much for beginners, but good for the experienced crew. The wind is a light cross-on from the SE at 6 mph. The afternoon drops to 4ft with a cleaner cross-off from the WSW.

Monday the 31st, the swell fades. Morning has 3ft, cross-shore from the south at 6 mph, light bumps. By the afternoon it’s 3ft with a stronger cross-off from the west, but the quality is poor.

We hit a lull through Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd. The morning of the 1st has a risk of thunderstorms with a cross-on, but the afternoon goes glassy – zero wind, 3ft from the SSW. That’s a rare calm moment, but the swell is small. The best of that small window is the Tuesday afternoon glass-off.

From Thursday the 3rd through Friday the 4th, the swell picks back to 4-5ft, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore from the SE and SSE at 12 mph, making for choppy, scrappy conditions. The energy is moderate to strong (1338-1846) but the quality is poor.

Now, the standout. Saturday the 5th of September is the pick. The morning has 4ft from the SSW, period 16 seconds, clean with a light cross-off from the WSW at 6 mph. The guidance says excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The afternoon keeps it going with a 4ft SSW swell and a moderate offshore from the west at 12 mph – clean and lined up. This is the one.

Sunday the 6th is also very good. The morning goes glassy with a 4ft SSW swell, 15-second period, and a slight air from the west. The afternoon stays glassy with a shift to NNW, still 4ft from the SSW. Two sessions of clean, long-period groundswell. Crowds are often, so expect company.

Monday the 7th sees the swell drop to 3ft, but the morning is glassy again with a risk of thunderstorms. The afternoon goes clean with a light offshore from the WNW at 6 mph. Small but fun.

After that, the swell fades into the second week. Tuesday the 8th has tiny 2ft waves but with a very long 18-second period in the morning, clean with a cross-off. The afternoon goes offshore from the NW, clean, but the size is small. Wednesday the 9th shows a slight bump to 3ft in the afternoon from the SW, period 17 seconds, clean with a light cross-off. Thursday the 10th has 3-4ft from the SW, but the wind is a mix of cross-on and cross-off, marginal.

From Friday the 11th through to Sunday the 13th, it’s all small – 2ft to 3ft – with periods dropping to 13-14 seconds. The wind is mostly cross-on or cross-off, but the energy is weak (282-444). There’s a clean afternoon on the 11th and 13th, but the surf is tiny.

Best on offer: Saturday the 5th of September. The morning session with 4ft SSW groundswell, 16 seconds, and a light cross-off wind is the cleanest, most powerful window. The swell is from the SSW, close to the optimum S direction for this reef, so it’ll wrap in nicely. Crowds are often, but for that quality, you’ll want to be early.

Rusty.

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