Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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.

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