Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming through, starting this Sunday the 26th of July. The initial pulse is a nice, clean 5ft SW groundswell with a long 11-second period, and the wind is glassy out of the WNW at just 3 mph. The water is sitting at 59°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so nothing weird there. The combined energy is a healthy 717 (moderate energy), and conditions are set to be glassy. That Sunday morning at Strand (Pipe) is looking like the standout early on – clean, lined up, and very surfable. The swell direction is right on the money from the SW, which is what this spot loves.

Sunday afternoon sees a bit of a shift with a cross-shore wind, and the swell drops a fraction to 4ft, but the period jumps to 14 seconds. It’s still rideable, but the wind is less ideal.

Monday the 27th brings a bigger pulse. The morning shows 7ft of SSW swell with a very long 17-second period, and clean conditions thanks to a cross-offshore SE wind at 12 mph. The energy is massive at 2349 (strong wave energy). This is a proper groundswell, but that long period can make it a bit too straight for the beach break, so keep that in mind. It’s in the expert zone at over 5ft. The afternoon holds similar size at 6ft, but the wind picks up to 19 mph.

Tuesday the 28th still has plenty of size, with 6ft of SSW swell and a 14-second period. The wind is offshore from the ESE at 16 mph, so the surf will be clean and well-shaped. Energy is still strong at 1445. This is another session for the more experienced crowd.

Wednesday the 29th morning is a real gem. The swell drops back to 4ft, but the wind goes glassy from the NNE at 3 mph. The period is still a solid 13 seconds, and the energy is 563 (moderate). This is a great window for intermediate surfers, with clean, glassy conditions and a manageable size.

After that, the surf slowly backs off through Thursday and Friday mornings, with smaller 4ft to 3ft waves, but the winds are mostly clean or offshore, so there’s still fun, small waves to be had if you’re on a log.

Then, on Friday the 31st of July afternoon, a sneaky little SE windswell pops up. It’s only 6ft, but the period is a short 7 seconds, and the wind goes glassy from the ESE. The energy is 516. This is a bit of a mushy, short-period one, but glassy conditions will make it look better than it is.

Saturday the 1st of August is tiny, with 2ft waves and glassy conditions – a perfect day for a beginner or a longboard cruise.

Sunday the 2nd of August sees a new SSW swell pulse, reaching 5ft with a very long 18-second period. The energy is strong at 1440, but the wind is a cross-shore from the NNW, which will put a bit of a bump on the face. It’s still a powerful wave, but not as clean as the earlier days.

Monday the 3rd of August is a beauty. The wind goes dead calm, glassy, with a 5ft SSW swell and a 14-second period. Energy is 752. This is a prime morning for a clean, organised session.

Tuesday the 4th of August is similar – glassy, calm, with 4ft of SW swell. Another very good morning.

The forecast gets a bit more mixed from the 5th onward. There’s still swell around, with 5ft on the 5th, but the wind becomes more of a factor. By the 6th and 7th of August, we’re looking at 5ft to 6ft of SW swell, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the NNW, making it choppy and less appealing. The 8th of August has 6ft of swell, but it’s cross-onshore and messy – more of a kite-surfing day than a clean paddle session.

The second week cools off a bit, but there are still a few windows. The 10th of August morning stands out with a glassy 5ft SW swell, 11-second period, and clean conditions – a promising finish to the outlook, though a week and a half out, so not as certain.

Overall, the standout is Sunday the 26th morning and Wednesday the 29th morning for the best combination of clean, glassy conditions and solid, manageable swell. The bigger days on the 27th and 28th are for the experts only.

Rusty.

Read more