The Pines Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is The Pines, a sheltered reef break that rarely breaks, so we’re already in a bit of a niche spot. For the first few days, it’s a slow start, but we’ve got some real firecrackers later on.

The water temperature here is 57.6°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The Pines is a very sheltered reef, and it needs the right swell direction to really fire. The optimum swell direction here is SE, but most of what we’re going to see is from the SSW. That’s not ideal, but when the swell is big enough, it can still wrap in and produce some fun ones.

We’ve got a clear gap at the start. No surf worth talking about until Tuesday the 4th of August, and even then it’s marginal. Tuesday afternoon brings a 6.2ft SSW swell with a short 11-second period, but the cross-on wind and weak energy (1606) make it a real struggle. Not the day to paddle out.

Wednesday the 5th is where things start to look up. A drop to 2.6ft SSW swell, but the period jumps to 19 seconds – that’s a very long period groundswell. The combined energy is moderate (875), and the wind goes cross-off and then offshore, making it clean. For a break that rarely breaks, this is a nice little window. The waves will be small, but clean and lined up.

Thursday the 6th is a step back. The swell builds to 3.9ft, but the period is still long (16 seconds), and the wind turns cross-off in the morning, which keeps it clean. The energy is moderate (710), but the conditions are described as ordinary. It’s surfable, but not a standout.

Now, Friday the 7th of August is the first real standout. Morning sees a 6.6ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, cross-off wind, and very clean conditions. The combined energy jumps to 2094 – strong energy. This is a solid, powerful swell, but the direction is SSW, not the optimum SE, so it might be a bit walled up. Still, for a reef break that rarely breaks, this is a treat. The afternoon has a 5.6ft swell with offshore wind and clean faces. This is the best morning of the first week.

Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are poor. The swell is still there (5.6ft and 4.6ft), but the wind cranks up to 19 mph, and the conditions are labelled as poor. The energy is high (1498 on Saturday), but the wind is just too strong. Not worth it.

Then we hit a massive pulse. Monday the 10th of August is a monster. The morning brings a 16.4ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is a staggering 12272 – very strong energy. The wind is cross-off and clean, but this is only for experts. The size is over 8.2ft, and the period is long, so it will be powerful and heavy. The afternoon drops to 13.1ft, still huge, with a clean offshore wind. This is a serious session for the experienced crew only.

The next few days, from the 11th to the 13th, see a sustained period of 13.1ft to 16.4ft swell with very strong energy (up to 18943 on the 12th). The wind is mostly cross-off, and conditions are labelled marginal, but the size is massive. This is a heavy, sustained swell event. The period is around 16 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell. Again, experts only.

The second standout is Friday the 14th of August. The swell drops to 9.8ft, still big, but the wind is offshore and gentle, with a perfect 17-second period. The combined energy is 6156 – very strong. The conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a cleaner, more manageable size than the earlier peak, and the offshore wind will make it glassy. This is the best day of the second week for the skilled surfers.

Saturday the 15th is a good option for the stronger intermediates. The swell is 7.9ft, the period is 15 seconds, and the wind is cross-off and light. The energy is 2546. It’s still big, but with the clean conditions, it’s a solid day for anyone comfortable in overhead surf.

Sunday the 16th sees a drop in size, but the afternoon picks up again with a 7.9ft swell and a moderate offshore wind. The energy is 3199. A good day.

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