West Shore Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, checkin’ in with your local surf outlook for West Shore Beach.

First thing you gotta know, West Shore Beach is a beginner-friendly spot, and it’s fairly consistent, but it’s exposed to swell. The water’s sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than what we usually get this time of year – throw on an extra layer.

We’re looking at a pretty rough start. Thursday the 9th is a write-off. We’ve got a strong, raw cross-off wind from the South at 28 mph making a mess of things, even if the swell is pushing up to 8 ft. Not worth paddling out. Friday the 10th doesn’t get much better with similar cross-off conditions and a 7 ft swell that’s just too much for this break. The combined energy is moderate to strong (1092) but the wind is trashing it.

Saturday the 11th morning is where it finally starts to look interesting. The wind swings to a light offshore from the Southwest at 9 mph, and the swell drops to a more manageable 5 ft from the ESE. The combined energy is still moderate (358), and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the first real window, and it’s clean. Afternoon gets lighter, but the wind goes cross-off, so morning is your pick.

Sunday the 12th through Tuesday the 14th is a bit of a lull. Small, ordinary waves, mostly under 3 ft. The combined energy drops below 100 (weak), and the wind is all over the place. Not worth getting excited about.

Now, here’s the gold. The real standout is Friday the 17th. Thursday the 16th afternoon shows a little pulse with a 2 ft swell and long 15-second period, but Friday morning is where it’s at. We’ve got a 4 ft ESE swell with a very long 17-second period, combined energy is strong (946), and it’s blowing a gentle offshore from the WSW. This is a classic groundswell setup. The waves will have serious push and shape, with long lulls between sets making paddling out easier. The afternoon gets even better – glassy conditions, 5 ft swell, and energy hitting 1016. This is excellent for experienced surfers. For a beginner spot, that 5 ft might be a little punchy, but it’s clean. Saturday the 18th holds similar quality with glassy mornings and clean afternoons, just a touch smaller. The 17th and 18th are your best bets.

Then the wheels fall off. From Sunday the 19th through the rest of the outlook, it’s a long run of poor conditions. Strong cross-onshore winds from the East and Northeast ramp up, blowing out anything that’s trying to break. The swell is there, but it’s just messy and lumpy. Even if the 24th shows glassy conditions and a 7 ft swell, it’s flagged as too big for this break. For the most part, this stretch is a pass. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, to sum it up: get in the water Saturday the 11th for a clean intro, but hold out for Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th for the best, cleanest, and most powerful waves of the period. The forecast is reliable for the near-term, so those long-range ones on the 17th are looking solid.

Rusty

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