Pitstops Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a real solid stretch of groundswell lined up, but it’s a slow starter. The first few days have small, clean waves that are more for the groms and longboarders, but once we get into the second week, hold onto your boardies – it’s gonna get hefty.

The main event is all at Pitstops, a reef break that’s very consistent and fairly exposed. The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, so no shocks there.

We kick off Friday the 31st of July with a small, clean SSW swell at 3ft, period a very long 17 seconds. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SE at 6 mph, so those lines should be clean. The combined swell energy is moderate at 622, and it’s a good, mellow option for the beginners. Saturday and Sunday the 1st and 2nd of August stay in that same sweet spot – 3ft to 4ft of S/SSW groundswell, light winds, and the energy ticks up a bit to 891 and 912 on Sunday. Monday the 3rd of August brings a glassy morning with a light NNE breeze at 3 mph, and 4ft of S swell at 15 seconds. That’s a damn fine morning for a paddle, but the afternoon turns onshore, so get out early.

The wind and the swell start to get a bit messy from Tuesday the 4th through Wednesday the 5th of August. The swell is trying to push up to 4ft, but the wind is cross or cross-on, and the reports are saying it’s choppy. The combined energy is still moderate, but the quality is just not there. It’s a bit of a gap in the good stuff for a couple of days.

Now, hold on. From Thursday the 6th of August, things start to wake up. The swell jumps to 5ft from the S with a 16-17 second period, and the wind becomes a clean cross-offshore. The combined energy is now strong at 1449 to 1529. This is where it starts to get interesting for experienced surfers. The highlight of the whole run, the real standout, is the stretch from Sunday the 9th of August through to Friday the 14th of August. The swell is consistently between 6ft and 8ft from the S/SSE, with periods hanging around 15 to 21 seconds. The wind is offshore or glassy, and the combined energy numbers are off the charts – hitting 4477 on Thursday the 13th of August. That is some serious, powerful groundswell. For a reef break like Pitstops, this is as good as it gets. The wave energy is very strong, and the offshore wind will have those walls reeling. Be warned, on the 13th and 14th when the swell pushes over 7ft, this is strictly for the experts. The crowds are likely at a spot like this, but with that quality, it’ll be worth the company.

The run continues through the 15th of August with 7ft of clean S swell, though a bit of a cross-off breeze. Still a fantastic way to wrap up the forecast window.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are small and clean for the beginners. There’s a messy couple of days mid-week, but then it’s a straight-up, world-class groundswell event from the 9th of August onwards. The true standout is the 13th of August, with 7ft of clean S groundswell and a combined energy of 4477 – that’s the one to circle on the calendar. Get on it if you’ve got the skills.

- Rusty

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