Reef
both
Level 5/10

Barra Kwanza

Luanda, Angola
🌀Strong rips🚫Pollution

Barra Kwanza sits at the mouth of the Kwanza River, about 80km south of Luanda. The rivermouth creates sandbars that shift with the seasons, producing both lefts and rights depending on conditions. The water can be murky after rains, but the waves can be excellent when the banks are in good shape.

10-Day Forecast
Today14
61
Fair
1.3m@16s
11km/h
Sat15
71
Good
1.5m@16s
9km/h
Sun16
74
Good
1.9m@15s
10km/h
Mon17
70
Good
1.8m@15s
10km/h
Tue18
78
Good
1.9m@16s
8km/h
Wed19
75
Good
1.8m@15s
10km/h
Thu20
69
Good
1.4m@14s
10km/h
Fri21
66
Good
1.1m@13s
9km/h
Sat22
61
Fair
1.1m@13s
10km/h
Sun23
46
Fair
0.9m@12s
10km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 8 km/h · PM 14 km/h · Tide at 10am (0.2m)
Swell
1.3m
SW(219°)
Score: 10/25
Period
16s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
11km/h
SSW(213°)
Score: 8/25
Weather
22°C
0.0mm55%
First light 5:47amSunrise 6:17amSunset 6:05pmLast light 6:35pm
Windswell0.1m@1sSecondary0.4mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:47–9:12am · droppingStrike window: 11:28am–3:42pm · risingStrike window: 5:11–6:35pm · droppingIdeal tide: 0.3–1.5m
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
20°
22°
24°
23°
20°
20°
22°
25°
24°
21°
21°
23°
27°
25°
21°
19°
23°
25°
24°
21°
21°
22°
26°
25°
21°
20°
23°
25°
24°
21°
20°
22°
25°
24°
21°
21°
23°
26°
25°
21°
18°
20°
24°
24°
21°
17°
20°
24°
24°
21°
2m1.0
sec
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
swell
windkm/h
10g19
6g17
15g33
14g36
15g31
1g6
2g10
10g24
18g40
10g30
3g8
5g15
6g19
18g41
12g30
4g8
1g11
10g26
18g42
12g31
2g7
3g10
6g21
17g39
12g41
4g9
5g12
11g30
17g39
12g37
3g5
3g17
13g31
15g39
13g41
3g13
6g18
13g30
13g36
11g39
8g13
3g19
13g33
15g38
10g37
7g9
1g18
14g34
16g41
11g41
tidem
4:20am1.5m
10:20am0.2m
4:26pm1.6m
5:01am1.5m
11:00am0.2m
5:03pm1.5m
5:40am1.5m
11:38am0.3m
5:44pm1.4m
6:18am1.4m
12:19pm0.4m
6:20pm1.3m
12:35am0.3m
7:00am1.3m
12:56pm0.5m
7:00pm1.2m
1:12am0.4m
7:37am1.2m
1:47pm0.6m
7:52pm1.1m
2:00am0.5m
8:45am1.1m
2:50pm0.6m
8:54pm1.0m
3:00am0.6m
9:55am1.1m
4:15pm0.6m
10:30pm1.0m
4:18am0.6m
11:18am1.1m
5:30pm0.6m
5:40am0.6m
12:16pm1.2m
6:47pm0.6m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

4:20 am
High tide - 1.52m
10:20 am
Low tide - 0.17m
4:26 pm
High tide - 1.57m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

61
Fair
Components
Swell Direction20/25
Swell Size10/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind8/25
Raw Score63/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+3
💨 Gusty Wind-5
Adjusted Score61/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score61
🌊 Mostly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to LAD, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SW (225°)
Direction range
200° - 260°
Size range
1m - 3m
Ideal size
2.4m
Height multiplier
0.92×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
E (90°)
Offshore range
60° - 130°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid
Optimal range
0.3m - 1.5m

Water temp

25°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: 80km south of Luanda. Rocky but good for all levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Barra Kwanza?

Barra Kwanza works best on a mid tide, ideally between 0.3m and 1.5m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window.

What wind direction is offshore at Barra Kwanza?

Offshore wind at Barra Kwanza blows from the E (90°). Anything in the 60° to 130° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.

What swell size and direction work best at Barra Kwanza?

Barra Kwanza wants SW swell (200° to 260°) between 1m and 3m, with a period of 14s or more for quality waves.

When is the best time of year to surf Barra Kwanza?

The main season at Barra Kwanza is Apr-Sep. A secondary window runs Mar, Oct. SW swell season. River mouth setup.

How do I get to Barra Kwanza?

Fly into LAD, then allow about 90 minutes by road. 80km south of Luanda. Rocky but good for all levels.

What kind of wave is Barra Kwanza?

Barra Kwanza is a reef break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 5/10.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Sep

Secondary: Mar, Oct

SW swell season. River mouth setup.

Getting There

Airport
LAD
Drive time
90 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion