
Surf Forecasts:
Strand (Pipe) surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 17s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 17s period, SW swell with 1,972 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 14s period with SSW 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 Monday (Aug 10) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 2.1m and 10s 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 1.8m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.2m 8s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Strand (Pipe) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, it's Rusty here. Let's cut straight to it. The next couple of weeks have a bit of everything, but the real magic is waiting for you if you're patient. We've got a slow start, a proper pulse mid-week, and then a standout stretch into the following week that looks like it's got some serious teeth.
The early part of this week is a write-off, honestly. Monday the 10th is messy – the swell's there (6ft to 7.2ft at 10 seconds) but the cross-off wind and questionable tides mean it's not worth suiting up. Tuesday the 11th is better. The wind swings offshore and the swell cleans up to a nice 5.2ft to 6.2ft, with the period stretching out to 11-12 seconds. This is when you start to see some shape, moderate energy in the water (1568 on Tuesday morning). It's not huge, but it's clean and punchy.
Then Wednesday the 12th is when it turns on. The wind drops to glassy in the morning and the swell, while smaller at 4.3ft, is a proper long-period groundswell at 18 seconds. This is a beautiful, clean wave, even if the energy is moderate (1221). Glassy conditions and a long period like that – you'll be getting long waits between sets, but the waves you get will be super well-shaped. It's a surfer's wave, not a beginner's wave.
Thursday the 13th keeps the quality up. Still that long-period SW swell, around 4.6ft to 5.2ft, with light offshore or glassy winds. It's consistent and clean, another solid day. Friday the 14th and the weekend drop right off. Swell fades to under 3ft, the period drops, and the energy dips below 500. It's small and weak. You could get a fun little wave on a longboard Saturday afternoon when it goes glassy, but that's about it. There's a real lull from Friday through to Sunday.
Now, for the patient ones. Monday the 17th sees a fresh pulse of SW swell, pushing back up to 5.6ft to 5.9ft at 15-16 seconds. The energy is strong again (1622). The winds are cross-off, so it'll be a bit textured, but there's plenty of push. Tuesday the 18th drops off a touch, and Wednesday the 19th is blown out with a fresh breeze.
But then we get to the finish line. The 20th of August shows a new, more easterly swell (SSE) that's short-period at 7-8 seconds. It's not pretty, but it jumps to a solid 6.6ft to 7.9ft with offshore winds. This is more of a grunty, dumpy beach break wave. It might be a bit much for the lineup.
The real heroes, the true standouts of this entire forecast, are the 24th and 25th of August. This is where you need to make plans to be at Strand (Pipe). Monday the 24th is about as perfect as it gets. We're looking at a solid 7.2ft to 7.5ft of SW groundswell with a 15-second period. The energy numbers are huge – over 2000 all day. But the kicker is the wind: dead glassy in the morning, and barely a puff in the afternoon. This is a big, clean, powerful swell on a beach and reef set-up. It's expert territory for sure – over 8.2ft the next day, so keep that in mind. Tuesday the 25th is even bigger, hitting 8.2ft with strong energy (3368). The wind stays light, and it's clean. These two days are the standout of the whole window. It's a proper XL session.
So, my call is: save your energy for the 24th and 25th of August. That's the one. There's also some promise in the 23rd and the afternoon of the 17th, but the 24th is the crown jewel – big, clean, and powerful. The water's sitting at 58.6°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so a good wetsuit is a must. Good luck out there.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu afternoon, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | S 10 | S 10 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | SW 22 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
610 | 951 | 1866 | 1022 | 675 | 906 | 1101 | 985 | 844 | 1482 | 1081 | 619 | 415 | 472 | 304 | 308 | 249 | 268 | 355 | 507 | 1972 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | glassy | glassy | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:46PM1.39m | 2:01AM1.47m | 2:32PM1.53m | 2:47AM1.55m | 3:14PM1.64m | 3:29AM1.58m | 3:53PM1.70m | 4:08AM1.58m | 4:29PM1.71m | 4:45AM1.53m | 5:04PM1.66m | 5:21AM1.45m | 5:38PM1.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:56PM0.25m | 8:21AM0.10m | 8:45PM0.13m | 9:02AM0.02m | 9:28PM0.05m | 9:40AM-0.02m | 10:08PM0.02m | 10:16AM-0.01m | 10:46PM0.04m | 10:51AM0.05m | 11:22PM0.10m | 11:24AM0.14m | 11:56PM0.19m | ||||||||
7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 17 |
Feels °C | 7 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 24 | SW 22 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 17 |
228 | 308 | 1866 | 1022 | 149 | 906 | 1101 | 985 | 844 | 1482 | 1081 | 619 | 415 | 472 | 304 | 308 | 249 | 268 | 355 | 507 | 1972 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SSW 11 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SW 21 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 9 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 4 | ESE 10 | SE 8 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SW 22 | WSW 13 |
— | 180 | 60 | 27 | 358 | 135 | 68 | 44 | 658 | 66 | 47 | 20 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 1465 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 11 | — | SW 26 | WSW 10 | — | SW 10 | SW 10 | SE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | SE 11 | SE 6 | — | W 5 | ESE 10 | — | — |
— | 76 | — | 27 | 20 | — | 52 | 26 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | — | 5 | 10 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | SE 7 | SE 7 | S 11 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | NE 2 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | — | — | — | — |
610 | 951 | 335 | 492 | 675 | 216 | 407 | 302 | 31 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 22 | 6 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 176 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 33 | 0 |
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.











