Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – for the next couple of weeks, this isn’t a run of pumping, non-stop barrels. We’ve got a real standout window right at the start, but then it’s a bit of a waiting game for the magic to line up again. There's a solid stretch of days in the middle where it’s just not worth paddling out, before things start looking a touch more promising again.

The real highlight, the one you need to circle on the calendar, is Wednesday the 29th of July. That morning at Zippers-Costa Azul (Costa Azul), we’ve got a clean 5 ft SSW groundswell with a very long period of 16 seconds. The water’s a warm 86°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. The wind is glassy, making for some of the best conditions we’ll see. The swell energy is strong (1704). This is a proper, powerful groundswell delivering excellent waves, but with that size (5 ft) it’s really for experienced surfers. An afternoon sea breeze kicks in from the WNW at 15 mph, which is offshore and will keep the waves clean. The sets might be a bit more spaced out with that long period, but the quality is undeniable.

Thursday the 30th is a step down, with the swell dropping to 4 ft and period shortening to 14 seconds, and cross-onshore winds in the morning. It’s surfable but not a standout. By Friday the 31st, the swells are fading into the 3 ft range and it’s just marginal.

The first week of August looks quiet. From Saturday the 1st through to Wednesday the 6th, you’re mostly looking at small waves under 3 ft and poor surf conditions. There’s a glimmer on the morning of Sunday the 2nd with 3 ft swell and glassy wind, but with weak energy (268), it’s just a small window for a longboard. This is a real dead patch.

Now, hanging out there in the second week, the swell starts to show some life again. Monday the 10th of August is interesting. The morning is small (2 ft), but that afternoon the swell fills in at 2 ft from the SSW with a very long period of 20 seconds. The wind is light and cross-offshore, and the wave comment says "very good surf conditions." Combined energy is moderate (619). That long period for a beach-and-reef setup could make it a bit straight, but with clean conditions, it’s worth a look.

Tuesday the 11th of August picks up, with a 4 ft SSW swell, a period of 18 seconds, and strong energy (954). But the morning has onshore winds, so it’s not as clean. Thursday the 13th of August also has a clean afternoon with 3 ft SW swell and a decent period of 15 seconds. Nothing massive, but a clean, consistent run of waves compared to the flat spell before it.

So, for the first week, the clear winner is Wednesday the 29th of July. For the second week, keep an eye on Monday the 10th of August afternoon. Everything else in between is small or choppy. Sometimes it be like that, but forecasts change – keep your eyes peeled.

Rusty.

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