Pitstops Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the long-range look for the next couple of weeks. We’ve only got one spot on the radar that’s worth talking about, so let’s get straight into it.

The first few days of August are a bit of a slow starter, but by Sunday morning the 2nd, Pitstops is showing some life with a glassy, clean 3 ft S swell with a very long period of 19 seconds. The water temp is sitting at 85°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. The wind is light and cross-off from the SSE at 3 mph, keeping things tidy. The combined swell energy is a solid 902 (moderate), but the period is so long that this will be a true groundswell, which at a reef break like this is a beautiful thing. That’s a solid start.

Monday morning the 3rd sees a real treat – glassy conditions with the wind turning NNW at 0 mph, meaning flat calm, and the swell holding at 4 ft from the S with a period of 15 seconds. The energy has dropped to 687 (still moderate), but when it’s glassy like that, you’ll be getting perfect, peeling waves with hardly a ripple. This is the pick of the early run.

We’ve then got a bit of a gap through Tuesday and Wednesday where the wind picks up and the conditions get a little mixed, but it’s still surfable. Heading into Thursday the 6th, the swell bumps up to 5 ft from the S with a period of 17 seconds, and the energy hits 1450 (strong), but the wind is onshore and moderate, making it choppy and unruly. Not ideal for a paddle. If you’re on a kite, that’s a different story.

The real standout comes on Sunday the 9th of August. The morning is clear, with a glassy offshore E wind at 3 mph, and the swell is a solid 6 ft from the S with a period of 16 seconds. The combined energy is pumping at 1933 (strong), and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is the kind of day you’d be mad to miss. The afternoon is just as good, with the wind still glassy from the N at 3 mph.

We’ve got a solid run of clean, cross-off wind from the 10th through the 14th, with the swell rising and falling but staying in the fun zone. The best of that run is probably Thursday the 13th afternoon, with 5 ft S swell, period of 18 seconds, and a light cross-off breeze from the SSE at 6 mph. Combined energy is 1876 (strong) – proper shape and power.

By Friday the 14th, the swell is getting big – 8 ft in the morning from the S, period of 15 seconds, and energy of 2932 (very strong). That’s expert territory. The wind is still cross-off from the SSE at 9 mph, so it’s clean, but you’ll need to be on your game. The afternoon is a touch smaller at 8 ft, but still excellent for experienced surfers.

The weekend of the 15th and 16th sees the swell dropping back, but still a solid 7 ft to 5 ft range with clean cross-off conditions. It’s a good way to wind down the forecast.

Through the final days of the 17th, the swell tapers off to 3 ft to 4 ft, but the wind stays clean and cross-off, so you’ll still get some fun little waves if you’re keen.

Overall, Pitstops is the only spot in the mix, and it delivers a solid run of surf, especially the glassy Sunday the 9th and the big, clean Friday the 14th. The crowds are marked as “often” here, so expect company on the good days.

Rusty.

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