Figueira da Foz - Cabedelo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and wax, ‘cause here’s the word from your local surf reporter, Rusty.

First, the bad news: this outlook is a bit of a heartbreaker if you’re looking to paddle out soon. For the next week and a half or so, the bulk of the 16-day window is just a whole lot of nothing to get excited about. We’re looking at a solid ten-day stretch where things are mostly flat or messy. The swell just isn’t cooperating with the wind, and when it is, the energy is weak. After that, we do see a couple of mornings that might offer a little something, but it’s nothing to set an alarm for. We’re talking about a long, quiet run here.

Alright, let’s talk about what’s on offer at Cabedelo (Figueira da Foz - Cabedelo). The whole forecast is essentially one break, so this is where we’re looking.

The water is currently reading at about 69°, which is about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. It’s comfortable, but nothing extreme.

Now, let’s run through it. Starting with Wednesday, July 29th, and Thursday, July 30th, the surf is straight-up poor. We’re talking tiny waves, 2ft to 3ft, with junk cross and cross-on winds. Not worth a second look.

Friday, July 31st, and Saturday, August 1st, are more of the same story. Swell is trying to pick up to about 3ft on Saturday morning with a brief bit of offshore wind, but it’s got a short, weak period of 6 seconds and a cross-on breeze comes in quickly. The combined swell energy is moderate at best, hitting 170 (moderate wave energy) on Saturday morning, but it gets sloppy again by the afternoon. Still a no-go.

Sunday, August 2nd, to Tuesday, August 5th, is mostly the same: tiny, weak waves and onshore or cross-onshore winds spoiling any shape. There are a couple of mornings on Monday, August 3rd, and Tuesday, August 4th, that turn glassy with light winds, with swells around 2ft to 3ft. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” so you could get wet, but you’d be fighting for scraps on a 9-second period. The energy is weak to moderate (69 and 112). Honestly, not great.

Wednesday, August 6th, through Sunday, August 11th, is just a long slog of poor surf. The swell height bumps up to 5ft on Saturday, August 8th, with 220 (moderate wave energy), but it’s accompanied by a brisk cross-on wind that kills any chance of a clean face. This is the kind of setup that would be way more fun for kite surfing than paddle surfing – it’s messy and blown out.

The highlight? If you can even call it that, the best on offer comes on Monday, August 12th, and Tuesday, August 13th. On Monday morning, we see a long-period groundswell from the NNW with a period of 12 seconds, but the wave height is tiny at 1ft. The energy is moderate (112), but the combined energy that afternoon jumps to 218 (moderate wave energy) with a 2ft swell from NW. The issue is it’s cross-on.

The true standout, if there is one, is Thursday morning, August 13th. We get a little 2ft swell from the west, with an 8-second period, and glassy conditions from a NNE wind at 3 mph. The wave energy is weak (57), so it’s barely a wave, but if you are desperate to get the board wet, that glassy morning will be clean. Don’t expect any power, though.

So, the real takeaway here? You’ve got a long, quiet period until about the second week, and even then, the best we get is a glassy morning with tiny conditions. It tends not to stay this poor forever, but for now, the forecast is a dud. Keep the board in the car and wait for a change.

Rusty.

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