Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s on offer at Strand.

The pick of the whole 16-day run is shaping up to be a sweet window around Tuesday the 22nd of September, but we have to wade through a bit of slop to get there, so don’t go putting the boards away just yet.

We start off with a session for the experienced crew on Sunday the 13th of September. The morning is looking glassy with a clean 5ft SSW groundswell (period 14 seconds) and only a 5 km/h ENE breeze. The energy is high (1490), so the sets will have punch, but that long period means the waves might stand up a bit walled at a beach setup. The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s a solid window but not one for beginners. The afternoon gets a bit iffy with a cross-shore wind, so aim for the early.

Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are a write-off. Strong onshore winds (up to 35 km/h) are going to chop it right up. The swell is there, but it’s ugly. Give it a miss.

We get a little glimmer of hope on Wednesday the 16th of September. A clean 5ft SW swell (14 secs) with a moderate breeze, but the energy is cooking (1629). It’s still a bit raw for a stellar rating, and the wind is just cross-off, not proper offshore.

The next real standout arrives on Saturday the 19th of September morning. A clean 4ft SW swell (14 secs) with a fresh offshore wind from the ESE. That’s the kind of wind that puts a lip on the wave. The energy is solid (648), and with offshore conditions, the line-up should be a lot cleaner. This is a good session for the intermediate surfer.

Then we hit the best day of the forecast. Tuesday the 22nd of September. The morning is borderline perfect: 5ft SW groundswell (15 sec period) with a gentle offshore breeze from the east at 15 km/h. Wave energy is pumping (845) and the “very good surf conditions” tag is deserved. The afternoon is also clean with a light breeze. If you only get one day in the water this fortnight, make it the 22nd.

After that, things get a little heavy. Wednesday the 23rd of September afternoon brings a jump to 8ft SSW swell, but the period drops a bit and the wind goes onshore. That’s big and bumpy. Thursday the 24th of September afternoon pumps up to 8ft from the south (9 sec period) – that’s short-period, big, and messy, likely washing through the break. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s not going to be pretty.

The last week has some cleaner windows with moderate swell around 3ft to 6ft, but the wind is often just cross-off, which is okay but not the magic offshore we saw on the 22nd. The Saturday the 26th of September morning looks solid for a session with a 3ft SSW swell and offshore wind.

Overall, patience is key. The first week is a mix of glassy windows and total washouts. The second week from the 19th onwards has more consistent, clean conditions, with the 22nd being the absolute standout.

Rusty out.

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