Shida Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's in store for Shida over the next couple of weeks.

We're looking at a bit of a slow start here, but there's some real promise bubbling under the surface. The first few days are pretty ordinary, so we're waiting for the right moment.

Friday the 28th of August has a bit of life. We've got a 5ft groundswell from the southwest, but it's a short-period swell at 7 seconds, so it won't have the punch you'd hope for. The energy is moderate, coming in at 417, but the key here is the glassy conditions – dead calm, not a breath of wind. The water is sitting at 82°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so the sting is out of it. That makes for a clean, friendly wave, but it's an inconsistent break, so you might be waiting around a bit. Surfable, but nothing to get too excited about.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Saturday the 29th right through the early part of the week, the wind is onshore or cross-shore, and the swell drops right off. We're looking at knee-high dribble at best, with poor conditions. There's a gap of several days here with nothing worthwhile. Monday the 31st has a tiny glassy morning, but it's only 1ft, just not enough push. That afternoon the wind goes offshore and it cleans up, but again, it's just too small.

Tuesday the 1st of September is where we start to see a real change. The forecast shows a 3ft swell from the east-southeast with an 11-second period – that's proper groundswell. The energy jumps up to 290 in the morning, and with glassy conditions, it's going to be clean. The afternoon has a light cross-offshore breeze keeping things tidy. For a spot that's exposed to the southeast, this is a nice combination. Not huge, but quality. The water is still a touch warmer than normal, so you're in for a comfortable session.

Wednesday the 2nd is a nice follow-up. Another 2-3ft swell, with offshore winds forecast for both the morning and afternoon. The period drops slightly to 10-12 seconds, but it's still clean and the energy is moderate (225-300). It's a good run of consistent conditions for the area.

Things get tricky from Thursday the 3rd. The winds pick up, and while some days are clean, the swell is small and the conditions are marginal. The real show doesn't start until the following week.

Saturday the 5th of September is a standout. The swell jumps to 4-5ft from the east, but the period is short – only 6-7 seconds. The energy is moderate at 257-380, but what makes this one special is the wind. Saturday morning has light cross-offshore winds, and the afternoon goes glassy offshore. For a moment, it all comes together. This is the best window for an average surfer to get some fun, clean waves.

Now, looking way out to the second week: Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th of September. The numbers get massive. We're talking about a 10ft to 16ft swell from the southeast, with a very long period of 17-19 seconds. The energy is astronomical – 7050 up to 14907. This is for experts only. The wind is offshore or light cross-offshore, so conditions will be clean, but the sheer size of it means this break will be handling a ton of raw power. That long-period groundswell is going to unload with serious authority. It's a promising, distant possibility, but it's too big for anyone who isn't a seasoned charger.

To sum it up, the real call for a good session is the Tuesday the 1st of September through Wednesday the 2nd for clean, shoulder-high groundswell, and Saturday the 5th of September for a punchy, clean day. The end of the second week is just a big, powerful wild card for the brave.

Rusty.

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