Shida Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s on the menu for Shida over the next couple of weeks.

We start off slow, but there’s a bit of action. Tuesday the 21st brings small but clean surf, with a 4ft easterly swell at 10 seconds. The wind is cross-offshore, so the waves have some shape, but it’s not going to be pumping. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing special. The combined energy is moderate (290). It’s a little inconsistent, so you’ll be waiting a bit between sets.

Wednesday the 22nd is the real gem. The morning glass off is perfect, with a 3ft easterly swell and no wind at all. The ocean is flat calm, and the waves will be clean and tidy. The energy is moderate (215). This is the best session of the early forecast – get out there if you can.

The rest of the week and into the weekend fades fast. Thursday the 23rd stays small, and by Friday the 24th the wind swings cross-onshore, messing up the surface. The swell drops to 2ft to 2ft, and the period is all over the place. Not worth paddling out for. This flat spell lasts through Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th, with only a brief moment of calm on Sunday afternoon when the wind drops, but the swell is only 2ft – it’s surfable but very ordinary. Monday the 27th brings back the cross-onshore wind and keeps things poor.

Now, here’s the interesting part. A new south-southwest swell starts building on Tuesday the 28th. The morning is clean with a light offshore wind, and a 2ft southerly swell (11 seconds) comes in, with moderate energy (260). It’s a promising start. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 5ft, but the wind picks up to 25 km/h from the SSW, so it’s a bit wind-affected.

Wednesday the 29th sees the swell peak at 6ft, with a 12-second period from the SSW. The wind is cross-off, and the energy is strong (884). This is a solid groundswell – it’s got some punch, but the long period might make it a bit too straight for the beach break at Shida, so be aware. The afternoon wind freshens to 35 km/h, making it tough. Still, for experienced surfers, the morning has decent potential.

Thursday the 30th holds around 5ft, but the wind is still strong and cross-off. It’s not bad, but it’s not the standout.

The real standout for the whole forecast comes on Friday the 31st into Saturday the 1st of August. Friday morning sees a 6ft SSE swell with moderate energy (769), but by the afternoon, the swell is a massive 10ft from the SSE, with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is extremely strong (3413). This is serious, heavy swell – experts only. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but 10ft is way beyond what most can handle. Saturday morning is still 10ft, but the wind drops to a light breeze, so it’s clean but huge. By Saturday afternoon, the swell drops to 7ft, and the wind goes offshore, making for excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The energy is still very strong (1099). This is the best of the second week, but it’s a full 10 days out, so keep an eye on the updates.

Sunday the 2nd of August calms down to 4ft, with a gentle offshore breeze and clean waves. The period is short at 8 seconds, so it’s more of a wind swell, but it’s still a fun morning session. The energy is moderate (435). From Monday the 3rd through to Wednesday the 5th, the swell settles to around 3ft to 3ft, and the winds stay light or cross-off, keeping things clean but small. By Wednesday the 5th, the wind turns cross-onshore, and it’s back to marginal conditions.

So, the two best bets: Wednesday the 22nd morning for glassy, clean 3ft waves, and Saturday the 1st of August afternoon for a solid 7ft offshore swell for the experienced crew. The rest is a mix of small, clean spells and big, windy peaks.

Rusty.

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