Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming down the line for us.

We’ve got a slow start to the week ahead, but hang in there. The real action doesn’t kick off until Tuesday morning, and then it’s game on with a solid run of clean, powerful surf. The biggest highlight is a thumping pulse of long-period groundswell hitting on Tuesday the 25th—that’s the one to circle in your calendar.

Strand (Pipe) is your spot for this whole run. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the SW, and it’s fairly consistent, so it’ll pick up most of what’s coming. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing too wild there.

Monday, 17th August is a write-off. We’ve got a weak 5 ft SW swell with a 13-second period, but a 12 mph cross-shore wind from the NNW is putting a nasty chop on it. The energy’s low (644), and it’s just not worth paddling out for.

Tuesday, 18th August is where it starts to get interesting. Morning comes in with a clean 6 ft SW swell, 12-second period, and a lovely cross-off breeze from the SSE at 9 mph. The combined energy jumps up to 1708—that’s moderate energy, but clean and solid for experienced surfers. The afternoon drops a little in quality but stays rideable.

Wednesday, 19th and Thursday, 20th keep the run going. Thursday morning is a standout with a 8 ft SSW swell, 13-second period, and again clean cross-off winds. That’s expert territory—too big for beginners—but for the crew who can handle it, it’ll be firing.

Friday, 21st stays good in the morning with a 5 ft SSW swell and clean conditions, but the afternoon gets messy with a cross-shore wind.

Saturday, 22nd is a bit of a mixed bag. Light cross-on winds keep it from being perfect, but there’s still size around.

Now, Sunday, 23rd morning is a beauty: 7 ft SSW swell, 14-second period, light cross-off breeze, and a combined energy of 1927. Clean, powerful, and for the experienced crew.

Monday, 24th holds good morning surf—6 ft S swell, cross-off wind, clean.

But the real standout is Tuesday, 25th August. After a small morning wave from a 3 ft SSW swell with a very long 24-second period—which will break a bit straight at the beach, but still clean—the afternoon is where the magic happens. A 7 ft SSW swell rolls in with a 21-second period, light offshore wind from the SE at 6 mph, and a combined energy of 3879—strong, powerful energy. This is groundswell perfection for the reef. Clean, glassy... it’s going to be a special session for those who can get out. Expect some occasional crowd factor as word gets around.

After that peak, Wednesday, 26th is still okay, with a glassy afternoon and 5 ft SSW swell, but the quality drops off. Thursday, 27th through the rest of the month is mostly smaller, weaker, and often onshore or choppy. There’s a couple of clean windows on the 31st and into September 1st, with a promising 7 ft SSW swell and light offshore wind on the morning of Tuesday, 1st September—rated excellent for experienced surfers—so the tail end of this run has one more little burst.

So, bottom line: Don’t bother until Tuesday morning. Then surf hard through the week, with Tuesday the 25th as the absolute peak. After that, it fades out with a few clean moments right into September.

Rusty.

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