Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, mate. Rusty here with the outlook for Strand (Pipe). It’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, so let’s get into it.

The first real session to look at kicks off Monday, the 24th. We’ve got a clean 4ft SW swell rolling in with an 11-second period. The water is sitting at 58°, which is about a degree under the usual for this time of year – feels a little nippy on the skin. The combined swell energy is solid moderate (450), and with a gentle cross-off wind, it’s going to be pretty tidy out there. Not a massive standout, but a decent start.

Tuesday the 25th sees the swell build to 5ft SW, but the period jumps to a very long 15 seconds. The energy is strong (1260). This groundswell will have some punch, but at a beach-and-reef setup like Strand, those long lines can sometimes straighten out. The wind stays cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but the quality might be a little tricky to line up. Still worth a paddle.

The true standout of the forecast comes on Wednesday the 26th. The swell drops slightly to 5ft, shifting to a shorter period SSE windswell (7 sec), but the wind turns offshore from the east at a nice 12 mph. This makes for a moderate offshore and clean face. The combined energy is still lively (689). This is your pick – a morning session with glassy conditions will have the best shape on offer.

Thursday the 27th turns messy. The wind swings cross-shore, and the surf drops to 4ft with poor conditions. Friday the 28th brings a glassy morning though, with clean 3ft S swell (11 sec). It’s small, but the calm air makes for a fun little session.

We hit a dry spell from Saturday the 29th through Sunday the 6th of September. A few pulses of bigger swell roll through, like 7ft on Sunday the 30th, but the wind is always average. By Wednesday the 2nd of September, a huge 21ft WSW swell hits with a screaming onshore wind – the combined energy is enormous (22214), but this is pure chaos and far too big for this break. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing in that kind of wind.

The swell eventually drops back down by the 8th of September. Monday the 7th has clean 3ft SW swell, but the wind is a strong 25 mph offshore – clean as a whistle, but hard work to paddle into. Tuesday the 8th eases off with a light breeze and clean 3ft to 3ft SW swell. A chilled way to finish the window.

Overall, the standout is Wednesday, August 26th for the best combination of clean offshore wind and rideable swell. If you want a bit more size, Tuesday the 25th has the long-period energy, but the quality is less certain.

Stay salty.
Rusty.

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