Shichirigahama Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got to be straight with you – the surf outlook for our stretch of coast over the next 16 days is a bit of a tough one to write. We're looking at a long, dry spell with barely a ripple for the first two weeks, and even when the swell finally shows up, it's going to be messy.

Let's start with the here and now. For Friday the 17th and right through the weekend, we're basically flat. Swell is a tiny 0.7ft to 1.0ft from the SSW and SE, with a short period around 8 seconds, and the combined wave energy is a weak 12 to 21. The wind is a persistent cross-onshore, so it's choppy and unrideable. This dead period stretches all the way through to the end of the month. We get a few glassy mornings on the 21st and 22nd, but the swell is still a pathetic 0.7ft to 1.0ft, so it's a beautiful day for a paddle or a swim, not a surf.

The real story is the wait. There is a significant gap of almost two weeks with no real surf to speak of. The first hint of energy comes late on Saturday the 25th, with a jump to 2ft from the SSE at 12 seconds, pushing the combined energy to 146, but the wind is onshore, and it's still too small and weak. This builds through Sunday the 26th, with 3ft to 5ft from the SSE and a period of 14 seconds, with the combined energy climbing to 819. It's a long period groundswell, which is promising for shape, but the wind is howling onshore at 22 mph, creating poor conditions. For a river break, that long period won't help much anyway.

The real contender, the only one that stands out, is Shichigahama itself. The best we get is on Friday the 31st of July. In the morning, we have a glassy 6ft swell from the SSW with a short period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy is a moderate 271. The wind is glassy, which is a massive positive. It's a solid amount of swell, but at 6ft it's getting into the zone where beginners might find it a bit much. The afternoon sees a bigger 7ft from the same direction, but the wind turns onshore, and the period drops to 7 seconds, making it a sloppy, closed-out mess. The following Saturday, August 1st, has a 5ft swell from the SSW, but it's onshore and messy.

So, here's the honest truth. For the next two weeks, you're better off finding a new hobby. The one standout is the glassy morning of Friday, July 31st at Shichigahama (Kanagawa). If you're an intermediate surfer, get out there early. The 6ft, glassy SSW swell will be the cleanest waves we see in the entire forecast, but don't expect perfection – the short period (6 seconds) means it won't have the power of a proper groundswell.

This is a tough stretch. A blank run like this is more normal for this area, but forecasts can change. Keep an eye on it, but for now, I'd be waiting for the next swell.

Rusty.

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