Shida Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a 16-day window for Shida, and I’m not gonna sugar-coat it – the first week is a bit of a write-off. There’s a big gap of nothing but messy, blown-out conditions until we get a few days of promise later on. The standout window is short, but it’s there if you’re patient.

Right now, the water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year at Shida. Nothing unusual there.

The first real chance for anything decent doesn’t roll in until Monday, September 7th, but that’s a full-on storm event. We’re looking at 13ft swell from the SSE (9-10 seconds), with a massive combined energy of 3085. The wind is offshore, but it’s a near gale at 34 mph. That’s not for paddling; that’s for kites or maybe a survival mission. The reading says it’s too big for this break, and I agree. It’s a no-go for a normal surf.

The real standout kicks off on Tuesday, September 8th. The swell drops to a still-chunky 8ft from the SSE, period 10 seconds, and the energy is still strong at 1492. The wind swings to a cross-offshore from the SW at 19 mph, which cleans things up nicely. The water's still got a bit of storm energy, but the conditions are "clean." This is the best bet for the whole run, but it’s only for experienced surfers – that size is pushing it for intermediates. You’ll need to be on your game.

Wednesday, September 9th is another big one, with 10ft from the S (9 seconds) and a cross-offshore wind. Energy is 1435. Again, this is big and clean, but the forecasts say it’s borderline too big for Shida’s setup. The winds are good, but the power is immense. Only for the brave.

After that, from Thursday the 10th through to the 14th, we’re back into a slump. The swell drops, the wind goes onshore or cross-onshore, and it’s just choppy, poor-quality surf. A few days of small, long-period windswell (14 seconds) from the ESE, but with no decent wind, it’s flat and messy. A real lull.

Then, looking into the second week, we get a glimmer. Tuesday, September 15th morning shows 5ft from the E (7 seconds), but the wind is light and cross-offshore from the ESE at 6 mph. The energy is moderate (665), and the call is for "very good surf conditions." This is the pick of the second week – clean, fun-sized waves for the intermediate crowd. It’s not a beast, but it’ll be rideable and uncrowded if you’re lucky.

Friday, September 18th morning is another one to eye. We’ve got 5ft from the NE (8 seconds), but the wind is glassy – dead calm at 3 mph. The energy is 503, and the forecast says "very good surf conditions." That glassy surface will make it silky smooth, but the NE direction might not be the absolute optimum for Shida (which likes SE). Still, it’s clean and easy.

The rest of the second week, from the 16th through the 20th, fades out again. The last few days show small, weak swell with the wind either onshore or too strong. Not worth chasing.

Bottom line: The one true standout is Tuesday, September 8th for the big, clean groundswell, but it’s expert-only. The next best is Tuesday, September 15th morning for a much more manageable, clean session. Everything else is a washout. Be patient, or get the kite gear out for that Monday storm.

Rusty.

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