Udo Shrine Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s talk about Udo Shrine. It’s a reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so it takes a bit of patience and the right swell to get it going. The water temp is sitting at 82°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the winter steamer.

We’re looking at a pretty quiet start to the forecast. The first few days through to the end of July are mostly small and weak, with combined swell energy rarely breaking into triple digits (best is 100 on the 20th morning). The swell is tiny, mostly 1ft to 3ft, and the period is short too, mostly 6 to 10 seconds. Not much to get excited about. There are a few moments of glassy or clean conditions, like the Saturday morning the 18th with glassy conditions and a 2ft east swell, or the Monday morning the 20th with glassy conditions and a 2ft east swell, but the waves are just too small and weak to really recommend a paddle.

Then there’s a real gap. From the 22nd through to the 26th, the surf is poor, with the swell dropping to 0.3ft to 2ft and the energy mostly below 100. It’s a proper flat spell.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting – and a bit wild. From the 27th of July onward, the charts start to look like a different ocean. The swell builds rapidly. On the morning of the 27th, we’re seeing 12ft of swell from the SSE with a 14-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 5140 – that’s strong. But the wind is cross-shore, and the conditions are described as marginal, with a risk of thunderstorms. This is expert territory straight away, as the swell is already over 8ft.

The standout, and I mean the big one, hits on the morning of the 28th of July. The forecast is for a massive 25ft swell from the SSE, with a 13-second period and a combined energy of 18053. That is a huge amount of energy. The wind is light and cross-shore, which is a shame, because with an offshore wind this would be a day for the history books. As it is, the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is only for the most experienced, and even then, it’s going to be a survival session. The afternoon of the 28th drops to 20ft, still enormous.

The 29th of July sees the swell drop back to 10ft in the morning, with a short 8-second period, and the energy is still strong at 1132. It’s still cross-shore wind and a risk of thunderstorms. The 30th and 31st see the swell fade back down to 3ft to 4ft, with onshore and cross-onshore winds returning.

So, the one and only true standout here is the morning of the 28th of July, but it’s a warning, not a recommendation. The size is monstrous, and the wind isn’t clean. For the average surfer, there’s really nothing on offer in this 16-day window. The inconsistent nature of Udo Shrine means a blank run like this is more normal for the area. It tends not to stay poor for long, but this time, it’s a long wait.

Rusty

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