Zambujeira do Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Zambujeira do Mar over the next couple of weeks. It’s a mixed bag, to be honest. The week starts with a bit of a dud, but there are a couple of mornings that are looking seriously good if you can pick your window.

First up, Thursday the 27th is a write-off. Rain showers and a solid onshore wind have got things all messy. The swell’s there, but it’s short-period and weak, with combined energy around 337, and the wind is just ruining any chance of a clean face. Not worth paddling out for.

Friday the 28th morning is the first real glimmer. We’ve got a jump in energy to 959, with a 7ft W/NW swell and a 10-second period. The wind is light and cross-shore. The long-period groundswell is really starting to push through, but the report warns it might be slightly too big for this spot. It’s going to be powerful and a bit full. Still, that morning session is the best of the first few days. The afternoon turns onshore and choppy, so don’t be late.

Saturday the 29th morning is where it’s at for the first week. The swell drops slightly to 6ft, the energy is still strong at 524, and we’ve got a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the NNE. The report says expect very good surf conditions. This is the standout window for the week. Get out there early. The water temp is sitting at 69°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so no wetsuit drama. The afternoon, again, gets chopped up by the sea breeze.

The rest of the weekend and into Monday and Tuesday is pretty poor. The swell drops out, the wind is messy, and it’s not really offering anything. The energy is weak, around the 180-250 mark, and the periods are short. It’s the kind of flat, lumpy spell where you’re better off doing something else.

There’s a bit of a tease for Wednesday the 2nd, with a bump in swell to 6ft, but the period is short, and the wind is cross-onshore all day. It’s just not going to be any good.

Thursday the 3rd is more of the same – marginal at best.

Now, here’s where we see the second standout. Friday the 4th morning is clean again. Light cross-offshore wind, 4ft of NW swell. It’s not big, but it’s clean and the report says good surf. That’s a fun little morning.

But the one that really gets the stoke up is Sunday the 6th morning. It’s glassy, with zero wind. The swell is a solid 5ft, but the period has jumped up to 12 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, and the combined energy is up at 542. This is the best-looking session of the whole period. The long period suggests it might be a little too straight for a beach break, but for a spot like this, it should be reeling. That’s your highlight for the second week.

After that, Monday the 7th morning is still decent – glassy and clean with 4ft of swell – but then it starts to fade. The last few days of the period, from the 9th through the 11th, turn into a poor, onshore, short-period mess. The energy drops right off, and the wind is up. It’s a dud way to finish.

So, to put it simply: get on it Saturday the 29th morning, and then circle Sunday the 6th morning on the calendar. These are your two windows for clean, proper waves. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too mushy. Keep an eye on the long-range stuff, as it’s always a bit of a gamble, but the signs are good for that Sunday. This is Rusty, signing off.

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