Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming up at Strand (Pipe). This is a beach and reef setup, mostly exposed to the SW, and it's fairly consistent, so there's usually something to work with. The water's sitting at 56°F, which is a couple of degrees colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want a good wetsuit.

The next few days are pretty grim. Friday morning (14th August) is a write-off: cross-on wind at 16 mph, choppy, and the combined swell energy is a weak 375. Friday afternoon isn't much better. Saturday morning (15th August) is where it starts to flicker. The wind goes glassy, zero wind, and we've got a 3ft SW groundswell with a period of 14 seconds. The energy is still low at 284, but it's clean. Saturday afternoon stays glassy with a 3ft swell. That's a nice, small window for a logged or a longboard.

Sunday (16th August) gets messy again with cross-on winds, so we'll skip that. But Monday morning (17th August) is a little beauty. Glassy conditions again, a 5ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period, and the energy jumps to 721. That's clean, fun-sized surf for the intermediate crew. The afternoon goes a bit cross-shore, so morning is the call.

Now, the real standout is Tuesday (18th August). The morning is clean with a light cross-offshore wind from the SE. The swell is 5ft from the WSW, combined energy is a solid 1228, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That's the pick of the first week. The afternoon stays clean too, but a touch smaller.

Wednesday (19th August) morning is glassy again with a 5ft SSW swell, but the energy is a bit lower. Still a good session.

The following week looks a bit more speculative, but the big story is Saturday 22nd August. The morning shows a 10ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 5174. That's a big, powerful groundswell. The wind is light and cross-shore, so it won't be perfect, but it's there. The afternoon gets even bigger at 12ft with a 6290 energy reading, and the wind goes clean cross-off. This is big-boy territory, over 8ft, so only for experts. The period is very long (16 seconds), so it might be a bit straight at a beach break, but the reef at Strand (Pipe) should handle it well. Sunday 23rd holds at 10ft with clean conditions, another one for the experienced crew. This whole stretch from the 22nd to the 26th has some serious size and energy, but it's a long-range call, so keep an eye on it.

The last few days of the month (28th, 29th) settle back down to 3ft to 4ft with clean cross-off winds, a nice way to finish the run.

So, the best on offer? Tuesday morning (18th August) for the best all-rounder with clean, fun waves. Then, for the big-wave hunters, Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August are the ones to circle, but don't book the trip just yet—it's a way off.

Rusty, signing off.

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