Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s brewing for the Strand over the next couple of weeks.

We’re looking at a pretty solid run of surf coming up, but you gotta be patient. It starts a bit slow and a little messy, but by the second week, there are some absolute crackers on the horizon. The water’s sitting at 57°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you might want that extra rubber.

First real chance for a paddle is Saturday morning, August 15th. It’s small, with 3 ft of swell from the SW, and the wind is glassy – dead still. The wave energy is moderate (284). It’s not going to blow you away, but for a little roll-around, it’ll be clean and fun. Strand (Pipe) is the spot.

Sunday, August 16th is a write-off. The NNW wind kicks up to 12 mph and it’s cross – it’ll be chopped out. Give it a miss.

Monday, August 17th is still marginal. The swell bumps up to 5 ft on the morning, but it’s coming with a cross-on wind. It won’t be pretty.

Now, Tuesday morning, August 18th – things start to turn. We’ve got 5 ft of SW groundswell, a nice 12-second period, and the wind swings to a cross-off from the SE. That cleans the face right up. Wave energy is moderate (736). This is where you start to get interested.

The standout of the first week has to be Wednesday morning, August 19th. The swell is 5 ft from the SSW, period a solid 12 seconds, and the wind is glassy – just a whisper from the WSW. Combined energy is a healthy 746. It’ll be clean, peaky, and if you can get out, you’ll be smiling.

Thursday morning, August 20th is also looking tidy. 5 ft of SSW swell with a clean cross-off breeze from the SSE. Another good morning session.

We hit a bit of a lull from Friday, August 21st through to Sunday, August 23rd. The swell hangs around 4 ft to 5 ft, but the wind gets messy – mostly cross-on or on shore. Not worth rushing for.

But then… Monday, August 24th is the one to circle on your calendar. The morning brings 7 ft of SSW swell with a 15-second period – that’s proper groundswell. Wave energy is strong (2189). And the wind? Glassy. The report calls this “excellent for experienced surfers” and that’s no lie. At this size, it’s for the crew who know what they’re doing. The SSW direction lines up perfectly with the break’s optimum. This is the best session of the whole outlook. Expect a crowd at Strand (Pipe) – it’s a break that’s *sometimes* busy, and days like this will bring them out.

Tuesday, August 25th keeps the quality flowing. The morning has 5 ft of SSW swell with a cross-off wind, and the afternoon turns glassy with 4 ft. Clean conditions, very surfable.

Wednesday, August 26th is a bit of a beast. 6 ft from the SW with a 16-second period, but the NNW wind is up to 16 mph and cross. That long-period swell will be a bit shifty at the beach break, and with that wind, it’s going to be a battle. Probably more for the kite crew than the paddle crew.

Thursday, August 27th and Friday, August 28th are small and average. 4 ft and 3 ft respectively. Not much to get excited about.

Saturday, August 29th has a glassy morning with 4 ft of SW swell – a nice little finisher for the forecast if you want a clean, smaller wave.

Sunday, August 30th ends the outlook with 4 ft from the SSW and a 14-second period in the afternoon. Wave energy is strong (1161), but the wind is cross, so it won’t be perfect.

Overall, the best bet by a long shot is Monday, August 24th. If you can only pick one day, make it that one. The Wednesday, August 19th morning is a close second for cleaner, smaller conditions.

Rusty.

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