Espírito Santo.

Espírito Santo is the chunk of Brazilian coast between Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. It rewards the ones who don’t. Regência, at the mouth of the Rio Doce, is the headline: a left rivermouth recovering after the 2015 Mariana dam collapse sent mining waste down the river. South of Vitória, Guarapari runs reefs and rivermouths across Setiba, Praia do Morro, and Anchieta. Jacaraípe, just north of Vitória, stretches long and exposed. The 200 km-wide Abrolhos Bank to the south saps south swells before they reach the southern half of the state.

Peak runs March through September, when southern Atlantic storms send long-period south swell at the open coast. March is the cleanest month, with offshore mornings most days. December through February brings warm, small east-quadrant wind swell and the trades take over. Offshore is north-west. The north-easterly trade fills in by late morning and turns the open beaches choppy. Anchieta’s reefs and Guarapari’s rivermouth hold their shape longer when the wind comes up.

Water runs 22 to 24 °C in August, 26 to 28 °C in February. Boardies and a rashie cover the year; a 2 mm shorty if the dawn is windy. Setiba and Praia do Morro carry the locals every day; the rural beaches further south can be empty on a weekday. Jacaraípe, north of Vitória, has long, exposed beach to spread out on. On a small south, the Vitória-area beaches are the play. When it’s 2.5 m+, Regência’s left rivermouth links three to five sections.