
Surf Forecasts:
Strand (Pipe) surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 20s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 17s period, SSW swell with 2,488 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 20s period with SW 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 Sunday (Sep 06) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 20s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 1.8m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Strand (Pipe) in the next 16 days are 2.1m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 20s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 20s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Strand (Pipe) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Strand (Pipe). It's a bit of a mixed bag this run, with some real gems if you're patient and a few days best left to the kites.
We kick off the period on Saturday the 5th with a bit of a dud. There's a 6 ft swell from the SE, but with a short period of 7 seconds, it just doesn't have the grunt. The combined energy is a moderate 524, and a 19 mph cross-off wind from the ESE makes for clean faces, but the quality is poor. Not worth suiting up for.
Things turn around nicely on Sunday the 6th. Morning brings a solid 6 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, giving a massive combined energy of 2084. A light 9 mph offshore breeze from the E keeps it clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers – these long-period SW swells love a setup like Strand, offering power and shape. The afternoon eases slightly to 5 ft with a 16-second period (energy 1110), still with a gentle offshore. This is the standout window.
Monday the 7th sees the swell drop a touch to 4 ft from the SSW (14 seconds), but the real story is the wind. A 3 mph NW glass-off in the morning is about as good as it gets. Combined energy is a moderate 673, and the conditions will be glassy perfection. A great call for a dawn session. The afternoon gets a little bumpy with a 6 mph cross-shore wind.
Tuesday the 8th is a drop-off. Only 3 ft from the S, so the energy is weak (245). The morning is glassy again with 3 mph W winds, so it'll be clean, but the waves are tiny. Not worth the paddle unless you’re on a log.
Wednesday the 9th through Friday the 11th is a poor stretch. Strong winds and small, weak swells make for poor conditions. Thursday the 10th has a 6 ft SSW swell (16 sec) and a combined energy of 1366, which is powerful, but a 12-12 mph cross-off wind keeps it from being truly excellent. The quality is marginal, so it’s one to watch but not a standout.
We get another pulse from the 12th onwards. Saturday the 12th sees a 6 ft to 7 ft SSW groundswell with an 18-second period (energy over 2200!). That's a lot of water moving, but the 16 mph cross-off wind from the ESE creates clean but challenging conditions. This is solidly in the expert-only zone due to size and power. The following days stay marginal, with winds picking up from various directions, keeping things lumpy and choppy.
We then get a break in the wind for a promising run at the end of the outlook. Friday the 18th is another standout morning: 6 ft from the SE (7 sec), with a 6 mph offshore from the E. Combined energy is 632, and it’s clean. The afternoon goes totally glassy with zero wind and a 6 ft SE swell (8 sec). That’s a window of pure, clean fun. Saturday the 19th stays glassy in the morning with a 4 ft SW swell (14 sec), offering good, clean waves for all. The water temp is sitting at 58°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want a thicker wetsuit.
Overall, the standouts are clear: Sunday morning the 6th with that big, long-period groundswell and offshore wind, and the glassy windows on Monday the 7th morning and Friday the 18th. The end of the run on the 18th and 19th looks like the best chance for clean, user-friendly surf.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ESE on Sat afternoon, calm by Mon night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
325 | 1498 | 1880 | 969 | 656 | 662 | 653 | 432 | 146 | 75 | 74 | 109 | 104 | 291 | 1366 | 1220 | 715 | 386 | 463 | 515 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | off | off | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:28PM1.13m | 11:39AM1.12m | 00:05AM1.21m | 12:47PM1.28m | 1:06AM1.34m | 1:36PM1.45m | 1:53AM1.45m | 2:16PM1.58m | 2:33AM1.53m | 2:52PM1.68m | 3:10AM1.57m | 3:26PM1.72m | 3:44AM1.57m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:57PM0.60m | 5:15AM0.49m | 5:55PM0.51m | 6:33AM0.36m | 7:03PM0.35m | 7:24AM0.23m | 7:51PM0.20m | 8:05AM0.12m | 8:32PM0.09m | 8:42AM0.05m | 9:09PM0.01m | 9:16AM0.01m | 9:43PM-0.01m | |||||||
— | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 14 | 19 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 15 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 18 | 24 | 27 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 10 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 |
125 | 1498 | 1880 | 969 | 656 | 662 | 653 | 432 | 146 | 70 | 40 | 109 | 104 | 291 | 1366 | 1220 | 715 | 386 | 319 | 217 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | SSW 10 | — | SSE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | SW 18 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 15 |
9 | 80 | — | 39 | 52 | 11 | 91 | 12 | 89 | 75 | 74 | 23 | 5 | 157 | — | — | — | — | — | 201 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 26 | SSW 12 | — | — | — | ESE 9 | — | ESE 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 9 | W 11 | SE 10 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
65 | 15 | — | — | — | 8 | — | 61 | 10 | 38 | 14 | 21 | 4 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | SE 3 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 |
325 | 246 | 204 | 102 | 286 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7 | 23 | 27 | 26 | 38 | 143 | 332 | 463 | 515 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 47 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68 | 239 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 50 |
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.










