Overview
Copacabana - Posto 5 is a sand-bottomed beachbreak sitting in the middle of one of the most famous beaches in the world, with the party along Avenida Atlantica rolling on whether or not the waves show up. The beach's protected curve only picks up the biggest swells, so this is often an average wave that saves itself for the odd standout day. Posto 5 marks the stretch where big swells cross up and dump on the sand, throwing both lefts and rights that can barrel straight to the beach. Further southwest, Posto 6 sits behind more protection from south wind and swell, while Leme at the north end occasionally turns on fast, hollow, suck-out lefts.
When It Works
The bank draws swell from east to south, and southeast is the direction that lines it up best. It works from 0.6 m / 2 ft to 3 m / 10 ft, and on the biggest days it can cloudbreak well outside and roll in to explode into heavy peaks on the beach. Autumn and winter are the prime months, though spring can deliver depending on how the sand has shaped up. Waves here can be inconsistent, but there are worthwhile windows when the setup lines up.
Wind and Tide
Look for west offshore wind, which arrives with the cold fronts pushing up from the south. It breaks through low and mid tide, with a rising tide generally the better call. When it gets big enough to break on the outside shoal known as Baixio, low tide is the one to watch.
Local Tips
Intermediates will get the most out of it, and shortboards, funboards, longboards, and bodyboards all have a place depending on the day. When a strong southeast swell meets west to northwest wind, big tubes slam the shorebreak at the lower tides, which is when the bodyboarders come into their own. Expect a moderately busy lineup with a neutral feel, busier still when it turns on. Watch the shallow sandbank on the inside, and be aware that most days the waves close out along the beach, so rides stay short.
Access
Getting here is easy: it's right in front of Hotel Othon. You'll find restrooms, showers, lifeguards, a surf school, and a surf shop nearby, plus a car park with free parking alongside paid, metered, and roadside options. Water quality comes off Baia de Guanabara and carries big-city runoff most of the time, getting worse after heavy rain.
