Surf: General: Although all of the inner-city beaches from Copacabana to Leblon are fickle and can be dead flat, they also can be very good. The beachbreaks of Ipanema and Leblon can offer shifty peaks from playful, waist-high peelers to giant closeout pounders, all depending on the shifting sands. Check the beach and pick a peak when it's working. And if it's dead flat, don't despair -- those are the days when you need to head out to the beachbreaks of Barra da Tijuca and the super-consistent Prainha to the west. Flat in town doesn't mean the surf can't be good a 30-minute drive away. Tides: Medium to high Size: Chest high to slightly overhead Wind: Calm or offshore from the NW to NE. Swell: SE-SSW Bottom: Sand. Paddling: Breaks close to the beach and the rides are short. Spot Rating: Often just a poor wave (closing out next to the beach) but it has its good days. Access: Easy. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Hot weekends have the beach filled with tens of thousands of brown bodies. The surf isn't as crowded. Local Vibe: No problem when it's spread out. Environment: Worse after rain. Avoid the water around the canal between Ipanema and Leblon. Hazards: Rip currents. Season: Fall and winter are best with swells coming more consistently and better sandy bottoms.