
Surf Forecasts:
Strand (Pipe) surf forecast from 8 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period, SSW swell with 1,992 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Strand (Pipe) this week:
The surf forecast for Strand (Pipe) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Strand (Pipe) in the next 16 days are 2.2m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 12) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Strand (Pipe) over the next 16 days.
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the setup for the next couple of weeks at Strand (Pipe). This is a beach-and-reef spot that’s exposed to the swell, so it can pick up a bit of energy, but we’ve got a real mixed bag ahead.
We start off on Thursday the 9th of July with some decent swell. It’s a solid 7 ft from the SSW with a period of 14 seconds, which is proper groundswell. The combined energy is a meaty 1605 – that’s moderate to strong, plenty of push. The morning has a cross-off breeze from the SE at 9 mph, keeping things clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers, but at that size, it’s not for the learners. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing wild.
Friday the 10th sees similar sized swell, 7 ft again, but the wind is a bit stronger and the conditions are described as marginal. It’s still surfable, but not the pick of the week.
Then we hit the weekend. Saturday the 11th morning is the first real standout. You’ve got 6 ft of S swell at 12 seconds, and the wind is offshore from the ESE at 9 mph. The conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers, and with a gentle offshore breeze, it’ll be clean. The combined energy is 1066, still solid. This is your best bet for the first week.
Sunday the 12th drops a bit in size – 5 ft in the morning with an offshore breeze from the E at 6 mph. It’s a bit smaller, but the wind is good, and the forecast says very good surf. It’s a good option for a more relaxed session, but the real power is on Saturday.
The early part of the second week, Monday the 13th to Wednesday the 15th, is pretty flat. Swell drops to under 3 ft, and the energy is weak. Tuesday the 14th is glassy in the morning, but with only 3 ft from the SE and a 6-second period, it’s barely a ripple. There’s a long gap of a few days with no real recommendations here.
Now, things get interesting again. Thursday the 16th of July brings a new pulse of 6 ft SSW swell, but the wind is a bit strong at 16 mph, making it marginal. Friday the 17th is better: 6 ft from the S with a 12-second period, and a clean offshore wind from the E at 12 mph. The forecast says very good surf, and the energy is moderate at 841.
But the real monster is coming in the third week. On Thursday the 23rd of July, it’s a big clean-up. The morning has 12 ft of SW groundswell with a period of 18 seconds – that’s very long period, pure groundswell. The energy is a massive 6845, which is strong to very strong. The wind is offshore from the ENE at 6 mph, so it’ll be clean. This is exceptional surf, but only for expert surfers. At that size, it’s dangerous for anyone else. The long period means it’ll be a bit straight at a beach break, but Strand being a reef, it should be fine. Friday the 24th is still big at 10 ft, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s more of a bumpy ride.
So, if you’re looking for the best sessions, mark your calendar for Saturday the 11th morning for a solid, clean swell, and then keep an eye on that Thursday the 23rd morning for a massive, clean groundswell that’s a true standout for the experts.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wed 15 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSW 10 | SSE 10 | SE 6 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1825 | 1605 | 1326 | 1700 | 1467 | 1175 | 820 | 1039 | 887 | 630 | 442 | 353 | 194 | 116 | 63 | 32 | 64 | 39 | 38 | 89 | 143 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | glassy | glassy | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:25PM1.30m | 10:19AM1.11m | 10:42PM1.31m | 11:40AM1.16m | 11:57PM1.35m | 12:50PM1.25m | 1:04AM1.43m | 1:48PM1.37m | 2:02AM1.51m | 2:40PM1.48m | 2:54AM1.56m | 3:27PM1.57m | 3:42AM1.58m | 4:12PM1.63m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:03AM0.40m | 4:11PM0.49m | 5:23AM0.36m | 5:36PM0.46m | 6:35AM0.27m | 6:51PM0.37m | 7:35AM0.18m | 7:54PM0.27m | 8:28AM0.09m | 8:48PM0.17m | 9:15AM0.03m | 9:38PM0.11m | 9:59AM-0.00m | ||||||||
— | 7:50 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | |
5:49 | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 18 |
Feels °C | 12 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 6 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
1825 | 1605 | 1326 | 1700 | 1467 | 1175 | 820 | 1039 | 887 | 630 | 442 | 353 | 127 | 94 | 41 | 32 | 15 | 27 | 26 | 89 | 143 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SW 13 | W 14 | W 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | S 9 | SSE 6 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 |
— | — | — | 437 | 16 | 54 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 27 | 12 | 11 | 110 | 58 | 63 | 17 | 25 | 6 | 38 | 21 | 19 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 10 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 9 | SSE 8 | WSW 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 35 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 27 | 42 | 39 | 15 | 13 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | — | SSE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | SE 5 | SE 6 | SE 5 | SE 5 | ESE 6 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 4 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | — | — | — | WSW 4 |
424 | — | 40 | 9 | 11 | 51 | 83 | 143 | 152 | 164 | 403 | 326 | 194 | 116 | 15 | 21 | 64 | — | — | — | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 47 | 0 | 302 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Strand (Pipe) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Strand (Pipe) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Strand (Pipe) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Strand (Pipe) surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Strand (Pipe)) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Strand (Pipe) may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Strand (Pipe) is 18 km (11 miles) from the city of Grabouw. If you plan a holiday in Cape Town, look for hotels and other accommodation in Grabouw. Grabouw has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











