Recreio Posto 11.

Posto 11 is the surf peak that forms off the lifeguard tower roughly midway along Recreio dos Bandeirantes beach in Rio's west zone, about 500 metres up the sand from the better-known Canto peak near Pontal Island. On an ordinary day it throws up small to medium beach-break waves with a regular, forgiving shape that breaks close to the sand, drawing as many bodyboarders as surfers. It changes character on cold-front swells: south to east groundswell paired with a southwest wind holds the face up and produces long series of genuinely big waves, pulling surfers west across the city when a front is forecast. Entry is direct off the beachfront on Avenida Lucio Costa, right at the lifeguard post, which has restrooms and a shower. The lineup is a working local peak rather than a postcard spot: steady but noticeably lighter than the crowd at Canto, with locals timing sessions around the rising tide and the southwest breeze that keeps cold-front swells clean.

Long series stack up against a southwest wind when cold fronts push through, breaking almost onto the sand.