Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches — Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022

I arrived around 11:45 on a Tuesday and there were still some parking spaces at the trailhead. There were other hikers, but not too many; I saw about 10 groups total during the entire ~5 hours. One advantage to a dry summer - the fabled mud on the Shi Shi Trail was almost nonexistent. You can see where the patches usually are, and some were still moist, but most of them were dried arches of muddy footsteps that can be safely stepped on, and all had a solid ground pathway on or immediately next to the trail.
For other first-timers trying to gauge gear: under normal muddy conditions, I think that mid-to-high hiking boots would be enough to make it through the mud, though gaiters would help keep you clean. For low-top shoes, I'd personally want short gaiters to avoid getting the muck inside your shoes. The forest part of the trail is remarkably even; there's less elevation change here than on the Cape Flattery trail, until you get to the beach. Even with the staircases, there are some very steep portions where your foot is pointing 45 degrees or more as you go down (and back up) the cliff face; my hiking poles made this much easier.
The beach walk to the Point was pretty, and I got to the rock formations right at low tide, so was able to walk around the tide pools a bit. I'm no tide pool expert, but I didn't see much of interest in them, besides a few tiny crabs - if you can't make the timing to arrive around low tide, don't be heartbroken, the trip is still worth it.
My time breakdown was an hour through the forest to the beach, an hour walk out to the arches, about 20 minutes puttering around the rocks and resting, then a little over 2 hours return trip due to fatigue setting in. Allowing 4.5 to 5 hours gives you time to take pictures and not rush too much. Other groups had brought folding chairs to hang out in the shadow of the rocks on the beach, or hammocks to hang at one of the campsites, so you can take much more time if you like.