Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Strand (Pipe) – a beach and reef set-up that’s exposed to the swell. The water’s sittin’ at 58°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you might wanna grab that extra layer.

The forecast starts on Sunday, August 23rd. It’s not gonna be a classic. We’ve got a 4ft SW swell rollin’ in, but the wind is cross from the south, and that’s a bit of a buzzkill. The combined energy is moderate at 581, so there’s some push, but the texture is gonna be messy. It’s a bit of a wait for something decent.

Monday, August 24th sees the swell dip a little to 4ft, but the morning brings a cross-off breeze from the south. That cleans things up nicely, and the energy is still moderate at 450. It’s not huge, but it’ll be fun for a paddle. The afternoon gets a bit cross again, so get in early.

Now, Tuesday, August 25th is where things start to get interesting. The swell jumps to 5ft from the SW with a lovely long period of 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, folks. The energy is strong at 1124, and the wind is cross-off from the SE. This is a solid wave, but at 5ft, it’s pushin’ into intermediate territory. It’s a good one, but keep an eye on the tide.

Wednesday, August 26th is a real standout. The morning has a 5ft SE swell with a short period of 8 seconds, but the wind is offshore from the east. That’s clean as a whistle. The real magic is the afternoon: a 3ft swell from the SSW with a *very* long period of 16 seconds. The energy is very strong at 1310, and with light offshore winds from the ESE, it’s gonna be glassy perfection. This is prime for the point and reef, that long period will make ‘em wall up. For experienced surfers, this is the session of the window.

Thursday, August 27th and Friday, August 28th are a bit of a letdown. The swell direction swings to the south, and the wind gets cross-on or cross-off, but it’s not the same power. The energy drops off, and the waves are smaller. It’s still surfable, but nothin’ to write home about.

Then we hit a rough patch. From Saturday, August 29th all the way through to Monday, August 31st, it’s a write-off. Strong winds, messy chop, and the swell drops to under 3ft. The energy is weak (under 300). That’s a solid three-day gap with no recommendations.

But hold on! Tuesday, September 1st brings a big surge. We’re lookin’ at a 7ft SW swell with a moderate 14-second period, and the energy is *very* strong at 1576. The wind is offshore from the ESE. This is a powerful, clean wave. It’s over 5ft, so it’s not for the beginners, but for the experienced crew, this is another standout. It’s big, it’s clean, and it’s got grunt.

Wednesday, September 2nd still has a solid 6ft SW swell, but the wind goes cross from the NNW, and the energy is strong at 1081. The chop is gonna be a problem, so it’s a bit of a messy day.

From Thursday, September 3rd through to the end of the forecast, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The swell hangs around, but the wind is either onshore or cross-on, and the conditions are poor. Saturday, September 6th has a glassy morning with a tiny 3ft SSE swell, but it’s not gonna be a day for the quiver. The final standout is a bit of a tease: Monday, September 7th has a 8ft SW swell with very strong energy at 1485, but the wind is cross-on from the WNW, so it’s likely to be a bumpy, powerful mess.

Overall, the best on offer is the Wednesday, August 26th afternoon session for the glassy, long-period perfection, and the Tuesday, September 1st for the big, clean, offshore power. Get on ‘em.

Rusty.

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