Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey, it’s Rusty here. Let’s look at the surf for Strand (Pipe). The water’s sitting at 59°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual.

We start Saturday afternoon, August 29th, with a 7ft SW swell rolling in, but it’s a bit messy. The wind is a cross-shore SSW breeze at 9 mph, and the wave energy is moderate (1189). The conditions are marginal, with light rain and a cross-chop, so it’s not the best. The swell period is short at 10 seconds, so the waves don’t have much shape.

Sunday the 30th looks better in the morning. The swell drops to 6ft from the SSW, with a longer 12-second period, and a clean cross-off wind from the SSE at 12 mph. The wave energy is moderate (819). It’s clean, but the surf is still marginal, so the intermediates will have fun. The afternoon sees the swell fade to 4ft, with the wind picking up to 15 mph, but it stays similar.

Monday the 31st drops off hard. The swell is down to 4ft with an 11-second period, and the wind is a cross-shore S breeze at 9 mph. The wave energy is weak (333), and the surf is marginal. By the afternoon, it’s poor. Not worth paddling out.

Tuesday, September 1st, brings a bump. Morning sees a 6ft SSW swell at 13 seconds, with a cross-on wind from the SW at 6 mph. The wave energy is moderate (1045). The afternoon gets a bit better with a 7ft SSW swell at 13 seconds, a light cross-shore breeze, and moderate energy (1309). Still marginal.

Here’s the standout: Wednesday, September 2nd, morning. We’ve got a solid 7ft SW swell with a long 14-second period, and a clean cross-off wind from the SE at 6 mph. The wave energy is strong (1429), and the conditions are spot-on for experienced surfers. The breaks will be well-shaped and clean. This is the best session in the first week. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-shore S wind at 12 mph and a cross-chop.

Thursday the 3rd tanks. The swell drops to 4ft in the morning, with a fresh cross-off wind from the SE at 22 mph and moderate energy (537). The afternoon is even smaller at 3ft, with poor conditions. The rest of the week into the weekend stays small. From Friday the 4th through to the 5th, the swell is under 3ft, with strong winds and weak energy. It’s not surfable—more for the kite surfers.

There’s a gap of poor to flat conditions from Thursday the 3rd through to the end of the first week. Then, Sunday, September 6th, morning, offers a little glimmer. The swell is 4ft from the SSW with a long 14-second period, and glassy conditions with a light SSE breeze at 3 mph. The wave energy is moderate (585). It’s glassy, a good option for a clean, small-day session.

The second week is quiet. Monday, September 7th, has a 2ft SW swell, but the period is long at 16 seconds in the afternoon, boosting the energy to 465. That’s interesting—a long-period swell for the point or reef, but the height is tiny. Conditions are clean. Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th are similar, with tiny 2-2ft swells and glassy conditions on Wednesday morning. It’s surfable but very ordinary.

Far out, on Friday, September 11th, afternoon, we see a big spike. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SW with a very long 16-second period, and the wave energy is very strong (3535). The wind is a cross-shore S breeze at 9 mph, so it’s not pristine, but the energy is massive. This is promising for experienced surfers, though it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it. The morning of Saturday the 12th is also decent with a 5ft SSW swell, a 14-second period, and a clean cross-off wind. The energy is moderate (831). That’s another good option for the second week.

In summary, the clear standout is Wednesday, September 2nd, morning, with that 7ft SW groundswell and clean conditions. For the second week, keep an eye on Friday the 11th afternoon and Saturday the 12th morning. The rest of the period is mostly small or marginal.

Rusty.

Read more