Reef
right
Level 7/10

Fajã de Santo Cristo

São Jorge Island, Portugal
🏝️Remote🚶Difficult access

Fajã de Santo Cristo is a remote right-hand point on São Jorge in the Azores, set beneath cliffs and reached through a mix of island roads, trails, and local boat options. The wave wraps over rock with long, clean walls when North Atlantic swell finds the right angle. Its isolation is part of the appeal, but the logistics, weather and limited services mean it should be treated as a proper island mission rather than a casual beach stop.

Fajã de Santo Cristo surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Today20
0
Poor
0.5m@11s
23km/h
Mon21
6
Poor
0.8m@11s
14km/h
Tue22
84
Firing
2.2m@15s
10km/h
Wed23
69
Good
1.4m@13s
16km/h
Thu24
30
Poor
0.8m@12s
6km/h
Fri25
59
Fair
1.8m@13s
11km/h
Sat26
58
Fair
1.7m@13s
11km/h
Sun27
64
Fair
1.6m@13s
9km/h
Mon28
21
Poor
1.1m@12s
23km/h
Tue29
0
Poor
0.9m@10s
10km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 18 km/h · PM 25 km/h · Tide at 9am (0.9m)
Swell
0.5m
NNW(336°)
Score: 1/25
Period
11s
Medium period swell
Score: 8/25
Wind
23km/h
SSE(153°)
Score: 2/25
Weather
23°C
0.1mm26%
First light 7:08amSunrise 7:38amSunset 7:52pmLast light 8:22pm
Windswell0.6m@3sSecondary0.3mConfidence
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: 7:08am–8:22pm · through highIdeal tide: mid
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
22°
22°
24°
24°
24°
23°
23°
25°
25°
24°
21°
23°
25°
26°
24°
22°
23°
25°
26°
24°
21°
23°
25°
26°
25°
21°
22°
22°
22°
21°
19°
20°
21°
22°
21°
19°
20°
22°
21°
21°
23°
24°
25°
25°
25°
23°
25°
27°
27°
26°
3m1.5
sec
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
12s
12s
12s
12s
12s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
swell
windkm/h
16g43
21g55
24g65
26g71
24g67
16g45
14g39
16g45
15g42
12g37
7g19
11g28
12g34
10g34
10g31
14g39
17g48
18g50
17g50
14g50
5g24
7g21
5g22
7g27
3g28
3g11
6g18
11g28
15g35
23g53
12g46
12g41
12g36
10g35
8g34
1g11
4g16
9g25
14g37
18g49
22g64
24g67
24g70
23g70
20g69
6g27
8g31
11g39
11g44
10g46
tidem
2:30am0.5m
9:18am0.9m
3:45pm0.5m
9:54pm0.9m
4:06am0.5m
10:30am1.0m
4:55pm0.4m
4:56am0.3m
11:16am1.0m
5:30pm0.3m
5:40am0.2m
11:55am1.1m
6:12pm0.2m
6:10am0.2m
12:30pm1.2m
6:39pm0.1m
12:47am1.2m
6:46am0.1m
12:58pm1.3m
7:12pm0.1m
1:15am1.3m
7:15am0.1m
1:33pm1.4m
7:44pm0.1m
1:50am1.4m
7:51am0.1m
2:01pm1.4m
8:16pm0.0m
2:22am1.4m
8:26am0.0m
2:39pm1.4m
8:53pm0.0m
Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

2:30 am
Low tide - 0.49m
9:18 am
High tide - 0.92m
3:45 pm
Low tide - 0.50m
9:54 pm
High tide - 0.86m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

0
Poor
Components
Swell Direction12/25
Swell Size1/25
Swell Period8/25
Wind2/25
Raw Score23/100
Adjustments
🌊💨 Windswell-7
💨 Gusty Wind-5
⚠️ Weak Component-5
📉 Undersized Swell-9
⚖️ Penalty Stack Cap+1
🚫 Undersized Capmax 15
Adjusted Score0/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score0
🌊💨 Windswell

Plan Your Strike

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
NW (315°)
Direction range
290° - 340°
Size range
1.2m - 3m
Ideal size
2m - 2.6m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
ESE (110°)
Offshore range
90° - 135°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid

Water temp

18°C

Wetsuit

3/2mm fullsuit

Bottom

Rock

Difficulty

7/10

Crowd level

1/10

Access: Fly or ferry to São Jorge, then use local road access and foot/boat options depending on conditions; Horta is an inter-island gateway, not a simple drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Fajã de Santo Cristo?

The Fajã de Santo Cristo profile favors mid tide. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Fajã de Santo Cristo?

The Fajã de Santo Cristo profile uses wind from ESE (110°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 90° to 135°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at Fajã de Santo Cristo?

The Fajã de Santo Cristo scoring profile favors swell from NW (290° to 340°), a swell-height range of 1.2m to 3m, and a reference period of 14s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf Fajã de Santo Cristo?

The main season at Fajã de Santo Cristo is Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. North Atlantic swells Oct-Mar.

How do I get to Fajã de Santo Cristo?

The spot profile lists SJZ as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 35 minutes. Fly or ferry to São Jorge, then use local road access and foot/boat options depending on conditions; Horta is an inter-island gateway, not a simple drive.

What kind of wave is Fajã de Santo Cristo?

Fajã de Santo Cristo is a reef break, a right-hander over a rock bottom. Difficulty is rated 7/10.

Best Season

Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

North Atlantic swells Oct-Mar.

Getting There

Airport
SJZ
Drive time
35 min
Data quality
community

Strike Log

Community Discussion