Shida Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, giving you the straight-up word on Shida.

Overall, we’re looking at a decent run of small to medium surf kicking off this Thursday afternoon, but nothing that screams epic. The best windows of clean, rideable waves are going to be Sunday the 19th through Tuesday the 21st, with a few other promising sessions later in the month. There’s a bit of a flat patch and some windy days to work around, but the ocean is going to deliver enough to get wet.

Starting this Thursday afternoon, July 16th, we’ve got some small 3 ft ESE swell with a moderate offshore breeze. The combined swell energy is 109 (weak) – it’s surfable, but very ordinary. Not the day to call in sick for. Friday the 17th sees a touch more size, about 3 ft to 4 ft, but the wind is a bit tricky with cross-off conditions and the period is short at 8 seconds. The energy picks up to 201 (moderate) by the afternoon, but conditions are still just marginal. Saturday the 18th is much the same – 3 ft, cross-off wind, nothing special.

Now, Sunday the 19th is where it gets interesting. We get a clean 4 ft SSE swell with a gentle offshore breeze from the south. The energy climbs to 233 (moderate) in the morning and 287 (moderate) in the afternoon. Expect good surf conditions. This is one of the standout windows. The break at Shida faces SE, and the swell is coming from just east of that, so it lines up nicely.

Monday the 20th keeps it going. Morning is 3 ft E swell with light offshore wind, but the afternoon is where it’s at: 4 ft E swell with a 10-second period, a moderate offshore breeze, and a strong 288 (moderate) combined energy. Clean, fun waves. Tuesday the 21st is the best of the early run – 4 ft E swell, a solid 11-second period, and glassy light offshore wind. Combined energy hits 425 (moderate-strong). The waves will have some punch and shape. That’s the morning to be out.

Things go downhill Wednesday the 22nd with a strong cross-onshore wind from the NE at 15 mph, making it choppy. Poor surf. The wind turns tricky through the 23rd and 24th, with a brief window of clean 4 ft E swell Thursday the 23rd afternoon, but mostly smaller, blown-out dribble. On Saturday the 25th, a very long-period 16-second SE swell rolls in, but it’s tiny at 1 ft and winds are strong. That kind of period would usually mean quality, but there’s no size to work with.

Hold on for Sunday the 26th afternoon – a clean 3 ft SE swell with a 14-second period, light ESE cross-off wind, and combined energy of 259 (moderate). The long period will make it better for a point or reef, but it’s still small. Then, Monday the 27th is a big highlight. Morning starts with 4 ft SSE swell, 10-second period, nearly glassy conditions (3 mph SE), and energy of 320 (moderate-strong). Afternoon is 4 ft SSE, light offshore SSE wind, 10-second period, and even more energy at 344 (moderate-strong). This is the second standout session – clean, punchy, and easy paddling.

Tuesday the 28th keeps the clean offshore wind going with 3 ft to 4 ft S swell, but the real spike comes Wednesday the 29th. The morning brings a 5 ft SSW swell with an 11-second period and a combined energy of 822 (strong). That’s the biggest energy of the whole forecast, but the conditions are described as marginal, and it could be a bit much for a beach break if it’s too straight. Still, for an experienced surfer, that’s a session to watch.

The tail end of the month gets messy. Strong winds from the 30th and 31st with offshore directions but fresh to strong speeds (15-22 mph) make for clean but blown-out conditions on the surface. The swell is there, 3 ft to 4 ft, but the wind is going to make it a battle. Best to sit those out.

So, to sum it up clean and simple: your two best bets are Sunday the 19th for that first clean run of decent swell, and Monday the 27th for the best combination of size, direction, and glassy wind. The water temp is 77°F with a near-normal anomaly, so it’s about average for this time of year – no surprise there.

Crowds at Shida can be often, so expect company on those good days.

Signing off,
Rusty

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