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Shoals Reef 69.3
#2569 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇺🇸 United States of America · Alaska · near Sitka
Works almost every day, wind is the enemy here, no off season.
Works all yearBig waveAdvanced
Surf score69.3 /100
Surfable days92% of the year
Clean days16% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell35% period 11 s+
Typical size1.9 m 6.4 ft median
Water9°C a 6/5 with boots, gloves and hood
Best time to surf Shoals Reef
The best time to surf Shoals Reef is April, July, December. It rarely works. In April the water sits around 6°C, so pack a 6/5 with boots, gloves and hood, and the typical wave is 1.9 m. The nearest airport is SIT (17 km) and the nearest town is Sitka (20 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83% | 18% | 2.7 m | 6°C | 6/5 |
| Feb | 86% | 19% | 2.4 m | 7°C | 6/5 |
| Mar | 93% | 18% | 2.3 m | 6°C | 6/5 |
| Apr | 97% | 23% | 1.9 m | 6°C | 6/5 |
| May | 100% | 17% | 1.6 m | 8°C | 6/5 |
| Jun | 100% | 17% | 1.4 m | 11°C | 5/4 |
| Jul | 99% | 20% | 1.1 m | 13°C | 4/3 |
| Aug | 97% | 7% | 1.4 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Sep | 98% | 5% | 1.7 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Oct | 86% | 7% | 2.6 m | 11°C | 5/4 |
| Nov | 89% | 9% | 2.8 m | 9°C | 6/5 |
| Dec | 75% | 23% | 3.1 m | 8°C | 6/5 |
Why 69.3
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
9.0
Groundswell 12%
6.7
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
6.1
Water comfort 10%
0.0
Access 10%
9.6
The detail
Faces 150° with 47% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 46% of days. Mean peak period 10.8 s. Days over 3 m: 23%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 18%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates 57.006, -135.640 (OpenStreetMap).
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