West Shore Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for West Shore Beach. Gotta be straight with you – this is a tough block of forecasts for our local stretch. The next week and a half is mostly a write-off for any decent paddle surfing, but there’s a flicker of real hope right at the very end of the window.

The overall pattern is grim. We’ve got a long, long stretch of tiny, weak, and messy surf. The first recommendation I can make for a surf isn't until the morning of Thursday, July 16th, and even then, it’s just a teaser. Up until then, we’re looking at flat, choppy junk. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 55°, which is about a couple of degrees off the average for West Shore Beach.

Here’s how it shakes out. The first real glimmer of life hits on Thursday afternoon, July 16th. We get a small bump of 2ft from the ESE with a long period of 17 seconds. That's a proper groundswell, and the energy reading of 224 (moderate) is the first we’ve seen. The real kicker is the light cross-offshore wind cleaning it up. It’s tiny, but it’ll be glassy and shaped better than anything else so far.

Friday morning, July 17th, is the true standout of the first week. The swell jumps to 4ft from the ESE, still riding that 16-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 546 (moderate). With a light cross-offshore breeze, the lines are going to be clean and smooth. This is the best on offer for the first half of the forecast. The waves will have some grunt for their size, and the long period will make the paddle out easy between sets.

The rest of the following week is a frustrating mix of small, wind-affected slop and glassy but tiny leftovers. The morning of Monday, July 20th, is glassy with 3ft, but it’s just ordinary. The same goes for the mornings of July 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. It’s better than the flat spell, but nothing to get excited about. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore in the afternoons, churning it up.

Now, hold on to your board, because things get wild in the second week. The morning of Sunday, July 26th, sees a spike in swell, but it’s a messy 6ft with a short period of 6 seconds – that’s pure windswell, sloppy and poor. But then, the afternoon of Sunday, July 26th, is a monster. We’re looking at 12ft from the ESE with a combined energy reading of 4185 (very strong). That is a massive amount of juice. The wind is light, but the warning is clear: this is too big for this break. You’d need to be an expert, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. The same goes for Monday, July 27th, with 8ft and 8ft, and a combined energy over 1300. It’s glassy, it’s big, but it’s for experts only – the beach break setup will be a close-out mess.

The real quality finally arrives on Tuesday, July 28th. The morning brings 6ft from the ESE with a 10-second period, and a clean cross-offshore breeze. The energy is 707 (strong). This is the second true standout. Wednesday, July 29th, morning also looks good – 5ft, glassy, and clean. The swell is dropping, but the quality will be there. For the average surfer, this is where you want to be. The waves will be a manageable size, clean, and have decent power.

If you’re a beginner, the only safe windows are the tiny, glassy days around 3ft. Anything over 5ft, especially the 8ft+ stuff, is for experts only. For the kite surfers out there, the big, windy days on the 26th and 27th of July with the onshore flow will be a dream, but for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The absolute best is Friday morning, July 17th, for clean, long-period fun. Then, look to the final week, specifically Tuesday morning, July 28th, and Wednesday morning, July 29th, for the best quality, manageable swell. The big stuff in between is a expert-only spectacle.

Stay patient, stay stoked.

Rusty.

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