Shichirigahama Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a real mixed bag for Shichigahama. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing, then a late-developing pulse that might just save it.

The main story is a long quiet spell. For the first week and a half, from Tuesday the 21st through to the end of July, the surf is pretty much flat, blown out, or just plain messy. There’s nothing worth paddling out for. We’re looking at swells barely scraping 0.6ft to 2ft, and most of the time the wind is onshore, which kills any chance of a clean wave. You’ll see a few glassy mornings here and there, but with no swell to match, it’s just a flat calm. The combined energy is weak, staying under 100 for most of that time, which tells you all you need to know. It’s a frustrating gap of about 8 days with no real recommendation.

The first glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday morning, the 29th of July. It’s glassy, with a calm wind, and a small 2ft SSW groundswell. The period is 10 seconds, so it’s a bit of a lazy wave, but the combined energy finally breaks into triple digits at 100. It’s still only described as “surfable,” so keep expectations low. That afternoon, the wind swings onshore and ruins it.

After that, the energy builds, but the conditions stay poor. On Thursday the 30th, we see a 4ft SSW swell with a short 5-second period in the afternoon – that’s just wind chop, and it’s blown out. The combined energy jumps around, hitting 236 on Friday morning the 31st, but it’s all onshore wind.

Now, for the real standout. Mark your calendar for Tuesday morning, the 4th of August. That’s our best bet. The forecast shows a clean 5ft SSW swell, hitting from the optimum direction, with a proper 14-second period – that’s a nice groundswell. The wind is coming from the ENE, which is a cross-offshore breeze, keeping the surface clean. The combined energy is a solid 946, which is strong wave energy. This is a river break, so the long period from the SSW should wrap in nicely. It’s an intermediate break, but at 5ft, it’s on the top end for beginners; it’s better for the competent crew. It can get crowded too, so expect company.

The rest of the window is a letdown. The days after that are smaller, with onshore winds and a risk of thunderstorms, so the window closes fast.

To sum it up: Don’t bother until the 4th of August. That Tuesday morning is the one. It’s a long way off, so the forecast could shift, but as it stands, that’s the only time you’ll find a clean, decent-sized wave. The water temperature is sitting at a warm 79°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that Tuesday.

- Rusty

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