The Rock-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about The Rock (Costa Azul). It’s a reef break, and it breaks consistently, so that’s a good sign. The water is a very unusual 85°, which is a solid 5° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a real treat for the skin.

The first proper chance to get wet is Sunday morning, July 19th. It’s a bit messy though – a 4ft SW swell, but with a cross-on wind, it’s going to be a bit choppy. Not the best, but the afternoon cleans right up. The wind swings to a cross-off, dropping to 3ft from the SSW, and the wave energy is moderate. It’s clean, but small.

Monday, the 20th, is similar. A 3ft SSE swell in the morning with a light cross-on, so not great. The afternoon picks up to 4ft, and the wind goes cross-off, making it clean. The energy is moderate. It’s okay, but nothing to write home about.

Tuesday, the 21st, is a bit of a mixed bag. Morning has a 4ft swell with a cross wind, and the afternoon sees a 4ft SSW swell with a cross-off wind. The period is 14 seconds, so it’s a groundswell, but nothing special. The energy is moderate.

Now, Wednesday the 22nd is where it gets interesting. The morning swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW, with a period of 12 seconds. The wind is a light cross-on, so there’ll be a few ripples, but the energy is strong. The afternoon is the real standout for this first week – a clean 6ft SW swell with a light cross-off wind. The energy is strong, and it’s looking excellent for experienced surfers. This is a good one.

Thursday the 23rd is a step down, with a 5ft swell in the morning and dropping off in the afternoon. Friday the 24th is a weird one. The morning has a tiny 2ft swell, but look at that period – 24 seconds! That’s a very long-period groundswell, but it’s so small it’s almost not worth it. The energy is moderate. The afternoon, however, is a cracker. A 4ft SW swell, period of 21 seconds, clean with a cross-off wind, and the energy is strong. That’s a long, lined-up groundswell, perfect for this reef. Another standout.

Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th both have clean afternoons. Saturday sees a 5ft SW swell with a 19-second period and strong energy. Sunday has a 5ft SSW swell, 18 seconds, and strong energy. Both are excellent for experienced surfers. The mornings are a bit more marginal.

Now, the second week. Monday the 27th gets serious. The swell hits 8ft from the SSE in the afternoon, with a period of 15 seconds. The energy is very strong. It’s clean, but this is getting big – only for experts.

Tuesday the 28th, the swell is 12ft from the S, and it’s too big for this break. It’s a no-go for paddling, honestly. The same goes for Wednesday the 29th, with a 15ft swell, and Thursday the 30th, with an 12ft swell and howling onshore winds. This is more of a kite surfer’s setup.

After that stormy spell, it calms right down. Friday the 31st of July is a beauty. The morning is glassy, with a 6ft SW swell, period of 11 seconds, and a strong energy. The afternoon is clean at 6ft. This is a solid, clean option for experienced surfers.

Saturday the 1st of August starts glassy with a 5ft W swell, but the period is short at 9 seconds. The energy is moderate. Sunday the 2nd is tiny, with a 3ft glassy morning. The last couple of days, the 3rd of August, are flat and windy, so nothing there.

The best of the best? For the first week, it’s Wednesday the 22nd afternoon and Friday the 24th afternoon. The 22nd has a solid, clean 6ft, and the 24th has that incredible 21-second groundswell. For the second week, the standout is Friday the 31st of July morning – glassy, 6ft, and clean. It’s a long-range call, but it looks promising.

Rusty.

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