Shida Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what’s in the water for Shida these next couple weeks. Honestly, it’s a bit of a rollercoaster with a long slow patch in the middle where you won’t find much to ride.

We start on Tuesday the 25th of August with a chunky swell running. Waves are pushing 6 feet from the SSE with a 13-second period, and the energy is strong – a combined energy reading of 1310 tells you there’s plenty of power. The water temp is 82°F, which is running a touch warmer than usual. Winds are blowing cross-offshore from the SW, keeping it reasonably clean, but the conditions are marginal and the tide might throw a spanner in the works. Wednesday morning the 26th drops way down to about 3 feet, and the wind stays cross-off, so it’s small but tidy.

After that, the bottom falls out. From Thursday the 27th right through until the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September, there’s next to nothing. Most days are showing poor surf with onshore or cross-off breezes on tiny waves – you’re looking at 2 to 2 feet tops, and the energy readings are weak (between 136 and 293). A few moments have clean water but the waves simply aren’t there. That’s a solid four or five days of flatness.

Then – and this is the highlight – on Tuesday the 1st of September morning, it comes alive. Clean conditions with a light offshore from the SSE, waves around 3 feet from the south with a 12-second period, and the energy jumps to a solid 524. Tuesday afternoon gets even better: 4 feet from the east, 12-second period, and combined energy of 733. Winds are offshore from the SSE, gentle breeze – that means glassy, lined-up waves and a fun session. This is the best call of the whole outlook. Shida handles SE swell well, and with that offshore flow you’re in for a treat. Just keep in mind, crowds can show up here pretty regularly.

Wednesday the 2nd holds a bit of size at around 4 feet but the wind goes cross-shore and the surface gets a little lumpy – surfable but not as good as Tuesday. Thursday the 3rd cleans up again with a 3-foot SSE swell and offshore wind in the afternoon.

From Friday the 4th into early September, it gets rough again with onshore winds and choppy small waves, then around the 6th and 7th of September we get a bigger but messier pulse. Swell hits 6 to 8 feet from the SE, but the period is short (8-9 seconds) and it’s cross-shore with a lot of chop. That’s looking more like a good day for kite surfing than paddling – too lumpy for most.

So bottom line: your best shot is Tuesday the 1st of September. Make a plan. Before that, it’s mostly flat and poor, and after the 2nd it gets erratic again.

Stay wet,
Rusty.

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