Macaronis Alert Guide

Mentawai Islands, Indonesia · part of the Macaronis spot guide

Macaronis is forecast-only — no buoy within roughly 2,000 km — so this is a model-swell alert. Unlike an exposed reef, the bay attenuates the swell, so the height below reads about the same as the breaking face or a little larger.

The forecaster's checklist

1. 1.Want swell from the south to west (about 180–280°), ideally southwest around 210–240°, which lines the reef up most mechanically.
2. 2.Look for period of 13 seconds or more — long period means more bay wrap, more barrel and a cleaner wall.
3. 3.Open-ocean height of roughly 2-to-7 feet is the fun-to-firing range; remember the bay tames it, so the face is about equal to the height or a touch smaller.
4. 4.Any tide works — expect lower tide to be hollower and shallower on the end section, higher tide fuller and more forgiving.
5. 5.The southeast dry-season trades groom it most mornings; it also holds shape in glass or light onshore better than most reefs.

Local winds & tide

Best wind: NE–SE offshore/side-off (holds in glass) — from 20° to 150° (NNE–SSE).

One of the few reef breaks that works well on all stages of the tide, which is why no tide series is modelled; lower tide is hollower and shallower on the inside, higher tide fuller and softer.

Dial it in