Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get stuck into it. The outlook is for Strand (Pipe) – that’s a beach-and-reef setup, exposed to the SW. It’s fairly consistent here, so we’ve got a bit to work with, but it’s a slow start. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

The first recommendation doesn’t come until the morning of Wednesday, 15 July. Before that, Tuesday afternoon is a write-off – tiny 2ft swell from the south at 9 seconds, and a cross-on breeze. Not worth paddling out for.

Wednesday morning, 15 July, the swell pushes up to 3ft from the SW with a very long 17-second period. A long period groundswell like that will wrap around the reef nicely, but it’s a bit marginal. The wind is light cross-on, so it’s not perfect, but there’s some energy in the water (combined energy of 487). The afternoon gets a bit more size – 6ft from the SW at 16 seconds, with onshore wind – but the conditions are questionable.

Now, Thursday morning, 16 July, is where it starts to clean up. We’ve got 5ft of SW swell, 13-second period, and glassy winds. That’s a nice combination – clean, glassy surf. The energy is moderate (933). This is a good window for intermediates, but it’s not a standout yet.

Friday morning, 17 July, delivers. 5ft SW swell, 11-second period, and offshore ESE wind. The combined energy is moderate (476), but the wind is clean, making for good waves. This is a solid pick for a session.

The weekend sees a drop in size – Saturday and Sunday morning around 3ft to 5ft, with light cross-on winds. The swell period is mixed, and the energy is moderate (425 to 652). It’s rideable, but nothing to get excited about.

Monday, 20 July, bumps up to 6ft SSW swell, but the wind is cross, and the conditions are marginal. The energy is 682. Not a standout.

Now, here’s the big one. Tuesday, 21 July, the swell jumps to 12ft from the SSW with a 16-second period. That’s a very long period groundswell, and the combined energy is a massive 5385 – strong to very strong. This is expert territory. The wind is light cross-on, so it’s not glassy, but for a big swell, it’s manageable. The waves will be powerful and the reef will handle the long period well. This is a standout, but only for experienced surfers.

Wednesday, 22 July, stays big – 8ft to 8ft SSW swell, 14-second period, but the wind picks up to moderate cross-shore, making it choppy. Energy is still high (2451 to 2685), but the quality drops.

Thursday, 23 July, still has 10ft to 10ft SW swell, 14-15 second period, with light cross-on wind. Energy is huge (3251 to 3961). Another big day for experts.

The real gem comes Friday morning, 24 July. 8ft SW swell, 15-second period, glassy winds. Combined energy is 2517. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – clean, powerful, and the reef will handle the long period. The afternoon holds too, with 8ft and clean cross-off wind.

Saturday, 25 July, the afternoon is glassy again, 8ft SW swell at 15 seconds, energy 2794. Another excellent session for experts.

The following week, Monday, 27 July, sees a massive 16ft WSW swell at 13 seconds, with light rain and a moderate cross-on wind. The energy is a staggering 10735 – that’s very strong. This is for experts only, and the cross-on wind will make it messy. But the afternoon cleans up – 8ft SW swell, 14 seconds, cross-off wind, energy 2238.

Tuesday, 28 July, morning is glassy again, 8ft SW swell at 15 seconds, energy 2551. Another excellent window for experienced surfers.

Wednesday, 29 July, gets messy – 8ft SW swell, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore, making it lumpy. The afternoon is even worse with poor conditions.

So, overall, the best on offer is the Friday morning, 24 July, with glassy 8ft SW swell and the Saturday afternoon, 25 July, with glassy 8ft SW swell. Two true standouts. The big swells around 21-23 July are for experts only. The crowd at Strand can be around sometimes, so keep that in mind.

Rusty.

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