Ipojuca.
Now
· updated 14 hours agoThe week begins with a small ESE swell around 1m at 6-7 seconds under moderate southeast wind, building slightly through Friday as the swell shifts to E/SSE and period lengthens to 6-8s. Saturday marks the WEEK PEAK with a SE/E swell topping out at 1.4m at 7-10 seconds before easing, still under moderate ESE→SSE wind. Sunday sees a fresh E swell filling in to 1.1-1.4m at 7-10s, holding through Monday as wind drops to light SE. Mid-week steadies with ESE swell at 1.2-1.5m and 8s under light ESE wind, then builds again late week: Thursday through Saturday sees ESE swell rising from 1.5m to 1.8m at 8-12s under moderate wind, peaking Saturday WEEK PEAK before easing slightly Sunday under
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About Ipojuca
Ipojuca is a Pernambuco coastal municipality 60 km south of Recife and the surf hub of the state. Porto de Galinhas is the headline village, better known for its low-tide reef pools than its waves. Maracaípe, the next beach south, is the open sand break that holds the swell. Praia do Cupe, north of the village, is the long beginner stretch. Reef breaks line the village seafront when a south-east swell wraps in.
This is a trade-wind coast at 8° south. The alísios, the south-east trades, blow most of the year, with August through November the windiest stretch. Working swell is south-east wind swell, 0.8 to 2 m at 8 to 10 s. The longer window is autumn, March through May, when the trades back off and north Atlantic swell wraps the coast at longer periods. West-north-west is offshore. Dawn before the trades fill in is the play.
Water runs 24 to 29 °C every month, so boardies and a rashie. The reefs at Porto de Galinhas cut on a low tide; Maracaípe is sand-bottom but pulls a longshore current as the tide drains. Crowds thin midweek and tourist-heavy on weekends, mostly bodyboarders and longboarders rather than shortboarders. Surf at dawn at Maracaípe before the trades fill. March through May is the cleanest stretch of the year, when the alísios back off and you can paddle out at any sane hour.