Shida Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what we’ve got for Shida over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a definite window of cleaner surf to aim for.

The early part of the outlook is pretty ordinary. The first few days, from Tuesday the 14th into Wednesday, offer small, surfable waves but with very ordinary conditions. Swell is around 2 ft to 2 ft from the SSW and S, with a period around 10 to 11 seconds. The combined energy is weak, sitting at 161 and then dropping off. The wind is offshore, which is a major positive for keeping the surface clean, but the wave size is just too small to get excited about. For a break that’s already inconsistent, this is a quiet start.

Things stay flat and small through the rest of the week. Thursday and Friday see a tiny bump in swell from the ESE, but the conditions are marred by cross-offshore or cross-on winds, and the period is short at 8 seconds. The combined energy is still low, mostly under 200. Friday afternoon does show a spike in energy (206) and a clean wind, but the swell is only 4 ft from the ESE at 9 seconds. It’s a step up, but not a standout.

The weekend from Saturday the 19th to Tuesday the 22nd is a write-off for quality surf. We’ve got persistent cross-onshore winds from the NE and ENE, making for choppy conditions. The swell is small and weak, with poor surf conditions forecast across the board. It’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout window opens up on Wednesday the 22nd of July. The afternoon brings a clean, 4 ft swell from the E at 10 seconds, with a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy jumps to 291 (moderate). This is the first solid sign of life. The real highlight, though, is Thursday the 23rd. Morning and afternoon both look excellent. We’ve got a 4 ft swell from the E, 10-second period, with glassy offshore winds from the SSE in the morning, shifting to a clean offshore S breeze in the afternoon. The energy is strong at 324 and 293. For Shida, which is an inconsistent spot, having this kind of clean, workable swell with offshore winds is a rare treat. The optimum swell direction is from the SE, so this E swell is a good match, and the clean conditions will make it a proper session. Be aware that crowds are possible here.

After that peak, the surf drops off into the end of the month. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th offer surfable but ordinary waves with cross-offshore winds, and the energy dwindles. The final few days of the month see a return to small, clean but weak waves, with a long period groundswell showing up on the 29th. The 29th has a 2 ft swell from the SE with a very long 18-second period, combined energy hitting 524 (strong). This is a classic long-period groundswell that will break very straight at a beach break, so it’s not ideal for Shida’s setup. It’s more of a novelty for the patient surfer.

Bottom line: Don’t waste your time until the 22nd. The best surf on offer is Thursday the 23rd of July. Make a plan for that day.

Rusty.

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