MECHANICS OF SAQUAREMA

The WSL World Championship Tour returns to Saquarema this week, one of Brazil’s premiere surfing arenas, for the Oi Rio Pro. Within the Saquarema zone, the WSL has the option of two breaks: Itaúna and Barrinha.

Itaúna is the more consistent of the two waves, and has been designated as the primary location for the contest. It works through a wide range of sizes, performing as a typical beachbreak with rights and lefts when the surf is smaller, and turns into a long left pointbreak when the swell gets bigger.

However, we’re keeping our fingers crossed we get at least one day of competition at Barrinha, one of the best waves in Brazil. This spot needs a solid swell to show its face, but when it does, it’s one of the heaviest waves around, due to its unique wedging shape and sheer power.

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Surfline Forecast Mechanics Saquarema Rio de Janeiro Brazil

The image above displays a typical wintertime setup for high/low pressure to deliver swell for Brazil.

– Winter storm season (strongest April to October) will see intense interactions between low and high-pressure systems, which deliver the biggest swells each year.

– The winter storms generally push eastward, sending the bulk of the swell toward Africa, however, they occasionally take a jaunt northward, helping to increase swell potential for Brazil.

– These southerly swells are comprised of mostly mid- to long-period energy. Also, the swell angle often gradually shifts from SW to S to SE as the storms track eastward.

– Brazil sits north of the typical storm track and is usually spared from the inclement weather associated with winter storm fronts.

Surfline Forecast Mechanics Saquarema Rio de Janeiro Brazil Wind Swell

The image above displays a typical windswell setup for Brazil, with strong high-pressure building over the South Atlantic.

– High pressure often dominates the South Atlantic from October to April and can generate significant windswell events for the region from the counterclockwise wind flow on the eastern and northern periphery of the high.

– This setup often occurs very near the coast, delivering onshore wind with the windswell, resulting in bumpy/choppy conditions.

– Due to the shorter period nature of these windswell events, the surf tends to be more broken up than during longer period southerly swells. NOTE – Most beachbreaks favor the shorter period energy for better shape, or at least when this energy combines with the longer period swells.

– Although extremely rare, tropical cyclones can develop in the South Atlantic between November and April. There has only been one hurricane in recorded history (Catarina – which made landfall in 2004).

Swell Window
Surfline Forecast Mechanics Saquarema Rio de Janeiro Brazil Swell Window

– Itaúna and Barrinha have a wide open swell window from the SW to SE, extending over 2600nm south to Antarctica, and over 3200nm to the east under South Africa.

– For Itaúna, the window from around 220° SW to 270° W is only open to localized windswell events due to the configuration of the South American coastline. Also, smaller swells east of 150° become shadowed by the rock outcropping, allowing less swell energy to wrap in. Larger ESE swells break outside the rocks, eliminating that shadowing factor. The larger ESE-SE to S swells are the ideal direction to focus energy for the left point.

– For Barrinha, SE to ESE swells from around 150° to about 113° are too easterly in angle for the mechanics of the wave to function properly. The best angle for the wedging bowl is SW to SSE.

– Wave travel time can range from around a day or less for windswell/chop generated by a local wind source, to over four days for longer period swells generated by storms tracking through the Southern Ocean.

Bathymetry
As noted in all Mechanics features, bathymetry plays a vital role in how waves behave when approaching and breaking along a coast. Differing bathymetric features refract more or less energy into different parts of the coast with every variation in swell direction and period.

Longer period swells start to feel the effects of the underwater landscape sooner and to a greater extent than shorter period swells, as longer period wave energy extends deeper within the water column. With that said, keep in mind that waves will always refract toward shallower water. Some spots have an ideal setup, regularly resulting in larger or more consistent surf than nearby spots, and may offer better shaped waves as well.

Other natural or manmade features can affect wave mechanics, such as rock outcroppings or jetties, which are present at both Itaúna and Barrinho.

Offshore Bathymetry
Surfline Forecast Mechanics Saquarema Rio de Janeiro Brazil Swell Bathymetry

Available bathymetric data offshore of Saquarema suggest there are no major or unique features to note. Overall, the continental shelf in this zone gradually slopes off into deep water with fairly uniform contours (as shown in this chart). Therefore, incoming swells are not altered too much when approaching the coast, regardless of swell period.

Starting at a depth of around 180ft (30 fathoms), longer period swells start to refract and focus toward this stretch of beach in Saquarema. Once the swell nears the coast, it is the local bathymetry of Itaúna and Barrinha that dictates how these spots behave.

Local Bathymetry
Surfline Forecast Mechanics Saquarema Rio de Janeiro Brazil South Swell

Incoming swell bends and focuses toward the entrapped sand that accumulates around the jetty of Barrinha and the rock outcropping of Itaúna. Longer period swell energy refracts at a greater degree, while shorter period swells refract less and approach the beach at a more direct angle. A portion of the wave energy also reflects off the rocks/jetty at an opposing angle and helps create shifty combo peaks.

In addition, there’s a deep channel running out from the inlet on the west end of the beach near Barrinha, refracting a significant amount of swell back into the surf zone. This converging energy is the driving force behind the powerful wedging peaks that Barrinha is known for.

Itaúna has a small channel or hole of deeper water near the rocks on the inside that also refracts some of the swell energy. On smaller days, and combining with the reflection off the rocks, this helps create peaky right and left wedges. On larger swells (especially southeasterly swells) the waves break off the end of the rocks and peel along the sandbank as a long left pointbreak.

Wind
Surfline Forecast Mechanics Saquarema Rio de Janeiro Brazil Wind Barrinha Itauna

– Like most spots, the ideal wind is calm to light offshore (NW-N-NE wind for Saquarema). Any light wind is favorable, even light onshore is ok.

– The rock outcropping on the east end of the beach offers some protection for Itaúna on an easterly wind, while the jetty and bluff on the west end protect Barrinha on a westerly wind.

– High pressure centered over the region usually results in light wind all day, light offshore in the morning and light onshore for afternoon, with mostly clear/sunny skies.

– Stronger high pressure centered east or northeast of the region usually results in offshore flow, which can last all day or even consecutive days.

– Any wind, even breezy onshore flow, is manageable when looking to maximize swell opportunities and potential for prolonged down spells. This comes into play during summer and for shorter period, local windswell events at the beachbreaks.

Best Conditions for Itaúna
Best Tide: Low to mid.

Best Swell Direction: The left point works best with ESE-SE to South swell, but only from ESE-SE on large swells. The beachbreak works on anything from SW to ESE, and combos, on smaller days.

Best Swell Period: Short to mid period best, but the point can handle larger long period swells. Beachbreak can handle a mix of long and short period.

Best Wind: Calm to light wind, or offshore northerly flow (N-NE). Lighter easterly wind ok with protection from rock outcropping. Stronger WNW-W wind is a devil wind for the lefts.

Best Size: Chest high to double overhead. The point can handle larger surf.

Best Season: Fall, winter, spring.

Local Notes: The outside will often be fat, but occasionally offers good tubes on the inside section during the best days. There is also a shorter right that is good for maneuvers on the outside and can offer heavier, steeper walls on the inside.

Best Conditions for Barrinha
Best Tide: Low to mid.

Best Swell Direction: SSW, but also good with S-SSE swells when the sand bank is well aligned.

Best Swell Period: Mid period.

Best Wind: Calm to light wind or offshore northerly flow (N-NW). Lighter westerly wind ok too with protection from bluff/jetty. Stronger ENE-E wind is a devil wind for the rights.

Best Size: Overhead to triple overhead.

Best Season: Fall, winter, spring.

Local Notes: Fickle for the big wedging right to work. This wave gets very hollow, and when it’s on, it can be compared with Hawaiian waves for its sheer power.