Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the 16-day window for Strand (Pipe). There’s a bit of a slow start, but patience will pay off with some real gems later in the run.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a few days of small, clean surf. Thursday the 30th of July kicks things off with some waist-high, 4ft swell from the SSW, with a 13-second period, and glassy conditions. The water’s sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year, so no wetsuit surprises. The combined energy is moderate, at 421. It’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s a fun, user-friendly wave for a paddle out.

Friday the 31st stays small, with the swell dropping to 3ft in the morning, still glassy, but the energy drops to 204. The afternoon gets a bit ordinary, but the mornings are your friend. Saturday the 1st of August has a similar story, with a 2ft glassy morning and a 14-second period, but the afternoon gets a bit of a cross-shore wind.

Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd are a mixed bag. Sunday is a write-off with cross-onshore winds, but Monday the 3rd bounces back with a clean, 3ft SW swell and glassy conditions. The energy is moderate at 326. It’s a solid workable wave.

Now, there’s a bit of a gap in quality from Tuesday the 4th through to the 5th, with poor conditions and strong winds. Tuesday the 4th is a non-starter with onshore wind and a messy 3ft wave. Wednesday the 5th sees a jump in size to 7ft, but with a strong 16 mph cross-shore, it’s just a mess.

Then we hit the real standout. Thursday the 6th of August is the best on offer. The morning brings a solid 8ft SSW groundswell, with a 13-second period and light offshore winds. The combined energy is a strong 3428. This is a proper, powerful swell. The afternoon gets even bigger, pushing 10ft, with a 14-second period and clean cross-offshore winds. This is big, clean, and only for experienced surfers. The beach-and-reef setup at Strand (Pipe) will handle this well, but it’s a serious day.

Friday the 7th of August is still solid, with 7ft SSW swell and a 14-second period, but the wind shifts to a light cross-onshore, so it’s a little less perfect. The energy is still high at 2025. Saturday the 8th is a washout with strong, messy winds.

Looking further out, Monday the 10th of August is another standout. The afternoon brings a clean 8ft SSW swell with cross-offshore winds, and the combined energy is a strong 2182. This is a great, clean, powerful wave for the experienced crew.

Tuesday the 11th of August has a 6ft S swell with a 10-second period and clean offshore winds in the morning. The energy is moderate at 725. It’s a good session, but the shorter period means it’ll be a bit more sectiony.

The real buried treasure, though, is Wednesday the 12th of August. The afternoon is glassy, with a 7ft SW groundswell from a very long 17-second period. The combined energy is a massive 2503. That’s a rare, long-period groundswell that’s going to unload with real power and shape. The conditions are absolutely glassy. This is a day for the connoisseur, and it’s worth circling on the calendar. It’s a long way out, but the potential is massive.

The rest of the second week fades into smaller, cleaner conditions from Thursday the 13th onward, with 5ft to 4ft swells and glassy mornings. Nice, but nothing that compares to that 6th and 12th.

So, the call is simple: if you’re experienced, keep your eyes on the 6th of August for the big, clean swell, and the 12th of August for the glassy, long-period magic. The rest is a slow burn of small, clean fun.

Rusty.

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