Shooting Gallery Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ down at Shooting Gallery.

Straight up, it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’re lookin’ at a solid 16-day window, but the surf is not gonna be your friend for a long time. The whole forecast is pretty much a write-off for paddle surfing. The swell is comin’ in from the north-northeast, which is cross-on at this spot, and the wind is mostly a moderate to fresh breeze from the north-northeast or north, keeping it choppy and lumpy. The water temp is 73°—a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is nice if you’re just sitting out there, but it won’t fix the waves.

Right from Saturday the 18th of July, we’ve got a tiny 4 ft to 4 ft swell with a short, weak period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is weak, around 111 to 163 (moderate energy). That’s not gonna give you any shape, and with that cross-on wind, it’s just messy. This pattern sticks around for days. Sunday the 19th brings a little more size, up to 5 ft, but the wind picks up to 19 mph, making it lumpy. The swell period stays short, under 8 seconds, so it’s all wind chop.

As we head into the second week, the swell builds a bit. By Thursday the 23rd of July, we’re seein’ 5 ft to 6 ft swell with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 341 (moderate wave energy). But the wind is still cross-on from the north at 16 mph, so it’s still choppy.

The size keeps creepin’ up. By the 28th of July, we’re at 7 ft, and then on the 29th of July, it hits 7 ft, with a period of 9 seconds. The energy is strong now—808 (strong wave energy). But the wind is a strong breeze at 25 mph, cross-on, makin’ it messy. This is big, powerful, and ugly. It’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session. The swell is over 8 ft by the 30th of July, which is expert-only territory, but with the wind and direction, it’s just not gonna be any fun.

The last couple of days, into the 1st and 2nd of August, the swell drops back to 6 ft to 5 ft, and the wind eases to a gentle breeze. The period stretches to 10 seconds on the 2nd of August, which is a bit better, but it’s still cross-on, so the waves will be lumpy and won’t have that clean face.

Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s not a single standout session in this whole 16-day run. The wind is never clean, the direction is always wrong, and the quality is poor. For a reef break that is consistent and fairly exposed to the swell, this is a real bummer. It’s a blank spell. If you’re a kiter, the strong winds and decent swell on the 28th and 29th of July might get you stoked, but for a surfer, you’re better off findin’ a different hobby for a couple of weeks.

Rusty.

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