Shida Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Shida over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a clear window of opportunity if you’re patient.

The overall pattern starts slow, with a long stretch of poor conditions or small, messy waves. The first real standout doesn’t arrive until the tail end of the first week, and then it gets serious into the second week. For the best of the best, you’ll want to mark your calendar for the 6th of September onwards.

We’re kicking off on Tuesday, the 25th of August, with a bumpy 6ft swell from the SSE but it’s a cross-off breeze and the combined energy is a meaty 1310 (moderate to strong), but the call is marginal. The surf quality is just not there. Wednesday the 26th is smaller, dropping to 3ft, and the wind is still cross-off, but the energy is dropping fast (421). Better than nothing, but nothing to get excited about.

Thursday the 27th has a scrap of 3ft SSE swell with a glassy morning, but the energy is low (237). Friday the 28th morning is the first real tease – a glassy 2ft from the E with a 12-second period, and the energy is 288. It’s clean, but tiny. The rest of the weekend and into the start of the following week is a write-off. From Saturday the 29th through to Monday the 31st of August, we’re looking at poor surf with cross-on winds and dwindling energy, down to 103. It’s a proper flat spell.

Things start to wake up on Tuesday the 1st of September. The morning is still a bit onshore, but the afternoon sees a clean 3ft from the S with a cross-off breeze and energy climbing back to 290. Wednesday the 2nd of September looks tidy – a clean 3ft S swell, offshore winds, and a solid 11-second period. Energy is 385. It’s a good, clean, small-wave day.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout window begins on Sunday the 6th of September. The morning is a solid 8ft from the SSE with a 14-second period, cross-off winds, and the energy is a thumping 2752. It’s a big, powerful groundswell. The afternoon is even bigger, hitting 10ft from the SSE (3207 energy). The wind is favorable, but this is getting into expert territory. Monday the 7th of September is the peak: a massive 12ft to 13ft S swell with strong offshore winds. The energy is enormous (3178 to 3217). This is a proper, powerful swell, and the wind is clean, but it’s going to be a beast. Only for the experienced crew.

The real prize for the confident surfer is Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning drops to a still-very-healthy 8ft from the S, with a gentle offshore breeze and energy at 1599. The forecast calls it excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the one to aim for. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-on wind, but the morning is a gem.

The energy drops off quickly after that, with a sloppy 5ft on Wednesday the 9th of September and the window closes.

So, the bottom line: the first week is a struggle. The real action is the 6th, 7th, and especially the morning of the 8th of September. That Tuesday morning is the standout – a big, clean, powerful S swell with offshore winds. It’s going to be a spitting, proper wave, but it’s definitely for the experienced crew. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

Rusty.

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