Zicatela Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipeline for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a solid run of surf on the cards, kicking off with a proper dose of south swell energy. The standout session is without a doubt Saturday morning, September 5th, at Zicatela. The ocean is going to be putting on a show with a clean 6ft of SW groundswell, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s proper long-period energy, which at a break like this is going to line up into some hefty, powerful walls. The wind is forecast to be dead calm, glassy, and it’s going to be a thing of beauty. The combined swell energy is significant, sitting at 1646, so you’ll feel the ocean has plenty of push. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 87°, so the boardies will be fine.

Friday morning, September 4th, is also quality, with the same 6ft SW swell and a 17-second period, but the wind is a slight cross-off from the ESE. It’s still clean, but the Saturday morning glass-off is the real gem. Swell energy is a strong 1903.

Sunday morning, September 6th, is worth a look too. The swell drops to 5ft from the SSW, but the period is still a solid 14 seconds, and the wind is glassy again. A very clean, fun morning for the crew that can handle it.

The following week holds up, but the size backs off. Monday morning, September 7th, is glassy with 4ft of SSW swell, but don’t sleep on Thursday morning, September 10th. The swell bumps back up to 5ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and it’s dead calm again. That’s another glassy morning with some decent grunt in the water (1080 combined energy).

There’s a noticeable gap in real quality in the second week. The swell drops to the 2ft to 4ft range, but the mornings are still glassy or clean. For instance, the morning of Friday, September 18th, has a 3ft SW swell but with a very long 20-second period and glassy conditions. It’s not the same beast as the first week, but still a wave if you’re keen.

A word of caution: Zicatela is for intermediate and above. When the swell is over 5ft, it’s a serious wave and not for beginners. When it’s over 8ft, it’s expert territory. The long-period nature of this swell (16-20 seconds) will make the sets arrive with a lot of power and long lulls in between. The crowd profile here is sometimes, so you might have some company on the peak.

So, the call is clear: Saturday morning, September 5th, is your best bet. The glass, the size, the period – it’s all lining up. Get amongst it.

Rusty

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