787dailyPuerto Rico, en inglés
Morning Brief

The north coast

Machuca

A reef break between Barceloneta and Manatí, at the Río Grande de Manatí mouth. Lefts and rights.

Also called Machuca's Garden.

Today at Machuca

Swell at the nearest buoy now

Station readings, not conditions at a beach. From CariCOOS, NOAA buoys and the National Weather Service.

Swell window at Machuca: open water from WNW to ENE (284° to 18°); the swell that reaches it arrives from NNW, N, NNE, NE, ENE.NNWNNNENEENElandNESW
The swell window. Shaded: the open water the break looks out on. Dark: where its swell arrives from (NNW, N, NNE, NE, ENE).

Today's tides at NOAA's Boca del Cibuco, 15 km (9.5 mi) away

Today's tide at Boca del Cibuco: low 0.1 ft at 3:37 AM, high 2.0 ft at 11:08 AM, low 0.6 ft at 6:19 PM, high 0.9 ft at 10:27 PM; heights above mean lower low water.12 AM6 AMNoon6 PM12 AM3:37am · 0.1 ft11:08am · 2.0 ft6:19pm · 0.6 ft10:27pm · 0.9 ft

22 in (57 cm) between low and high: large for Puerto Rico, small next to most coasts. Tides in Puerto Rico are small; wind and swell move the water more.

NOAA's predictions, in feet above mean lower low water, not a reading. The week at this station

Swell, the next three days

A planning aid, not for navigation. Height, period and direction from CariCOOS's 120 m nearshore wave model at this break's position; a model, not a measurement.

Loading the swell model…

"In its window": the swell a kilometer out to sea comes from one of the directions the break's sources list (WNW to ENE); near the break the model's swell has already bent toward the beach. Groundswell is 12 s or longer, wind swell under 9 s.

Forecast, the next seven days

A planning aid, not for navigation. Model numbers for this spot's position, not a measurement; NWS advisories come first. Loading the forecast…

Alert meAn email when the forecast here meets your condition. At most one a day.
Email me when

We keep your address, this spot and the condition, only to send this alert. A forecast is a planning aid. Privacy policy

Sources (2)

The break

Swell that worksNNW, N, NNE, NE, ENE: Works on north-northwest, north, north-northeast, northeast and east-northeast swellOpen water from west-northwest to north (284° to 18°); the swell that actually reaches it comes from north-northwest to east-northeast (in the model and at the buoy), the north-northeast, northeast and east-northeast bending in around the coast. Discover Puerto Rico: north is its best swell.345
Swell periodUsually 11 to 13 seconds when surf-size swell (3 ft or more) reaches it, 12 typical: the model, at the break.5
BreakReef · left and right12Rock.2
WindOffshore from the south-southeast (160°): the shore here faces north-northwest. Sea Grant: partly sheltered from east winds.23
SeasonMost often September to March: in December, 50% of the San Juan buoy's readings are groundswell from the directions that reach it; almost none in July.4
18.4840, -66.52972

What the guides say

  • Named for Jorge Machuca, a Puerto Rican surfer who rode in several world championships. Its waves can be very long and of excellent quality.12
  • A secluded black-sand beach in Hacienda La Esperanza, between Manatí and Barceloneta: nothing nearby, so bring lunch and water.1

When the swell comes

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec AreciboArecibo buoy, January: 47% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 4.4 ft47Arecibo buoy, February: 45% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 5.1 ft45Arecibo buoy, March: 30% of readings groundswell, mostly from the N; average wave height 4.7 ft30Arecibo buoy, April: 25% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 4.7 ft25Arecibo buoy, May: 12% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 3.4 ft12Arecibo buoy, June: 5% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 3.2 ft5Arecibo buoy, July: 0% of readings groundswell; average wave height 3.7 ft0Arecibo buoy, August: 1% of readings groundswell; average wave height 3.5 ft1Arecibo buoy, September: 49% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 3.9 ft49Arecibo buoy, October: 37% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 3.5 ft37Arecibo buoy, November: 47% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 4.4 ft47Arecibo buoy, December: 34% of readings groundswell, mostly from the NNE; average wave height 5.1 ft34
Arecibo buoy: share of readings that are groundswell (3 ft or more at 10 seconds or longer), by month. 787daily's analysis of NOAA NDBC buoy data, 2019–2025. The nearest buoy, not the break.
Show the numbers
BuoyJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arecibo buoy47% (avg 4.4 ft)45% (avg 5.1 ft)30% (avg 4.7 ft)25% (avg 4.7 ft)12% (avg 3.4 ft)5% (avg 3.2 ft)0% (avg 3.7 ft)1% (avg 3.5 ft)49% (avg 3.9 ft)37% (avg 3.5 ft)47% (avg 4.4 ft)34% (avg 5.1 ft)

Every buoy and month: when to come.

Rules that apply

  • Inside Hacienda La Esperanza Natural Reserve: Boat access restricted.Managed by Para la Naturaleza (Conservation Trust). Source: NOAA Marine Protected Areas Inventory (v2023)

Everywhere: rules and safety and rules on the water.