BEACH & SEA FLOOR GUIDE // Northeast Coast (Eagle Rock)Beginner to Intermediate

Praia da Maiata · Porto da Cruz — Reef Mechanics, Channels & Wind Shadow

Set beneath the towering 590m Penha d'Águia rock massif, Maiata and neighboring Alagoa pick up every North and Northeast swell pulse year-round.

TAKEOFF CAUTION: STEEP DROP OVER SHALLOW BOTTOM. WATCH YOUR DEPTH ON WIPEOUTS.

Beginner to Intermediate · Max 2.5m

Swell: 0.7m – 2m

SWELL WINDOW

N / NNE / NE (340° – 55°)

Angle: 340° – 55°

WIND SHADOW & SHELTER

S / SW / W (Brisa de Terra sob a Penha d'Águia) (Offshore)

Trade Wind & Orographic Shelter

SUBSTRATE & DEPTH

Dark Volcanic Sandbar & Eastern Cobblestone Corner

Sand & Cobblestone Beachbreak with Left & Right Peaks

SWELL CAPTURE (BLUE) & WIND SHADOW (EMERALD) COMPASS

Swell: 303° (WNW) · Wind: 210° (SSW)

HYDROGRAPHIC REFRACTION, TAKEOFF & EXIT CHANNEL PROFILE

Beach & Reef Bottom Profile

Wave Dynamics (Sand / Reef): Long-period groundswell trains (11s+) undergo immediate refraction upon contacting the submarine volcanic shelf, concentrating 70 kJ of wave energy onto the takeoff bowl while peeling cleanly. The adjacent entry channel drains water smoothly without dragging surfers into the impact zone.

1. GOLDEN ENTRY & EXIT PROTOCOL

Enter through the central sandbar channel; avoid exiting on the eastern boulder corner when tide exceeds 1.85m.

Max High Tide: {tide}m: 1.85m•Min Low Tide: {tide}m: 0.40m

2. LOCAL WATER HAZARDS