Pipe

Best Surf Season (May - September)

The austral winter pulls the Southern Ocean storm track northward, and Pipe begins to feel the full force of long-period SSW and SW groundswell. Average wave heights climb from 2.2m (7ft) in May to 2.4m (8ft) in June-August, with average periods reaching 12.5s by July. Although the spot's NE-facing bank is better aligned with NNO-NO-ONO-O swell, the sheer size and period of the winter S/SSW groundswell allow it to wrap around headlands and hit the reef with real intent. Offshore WSW-W winds are also common in this window, so the surface stays cleaner and more organized than the raw ocean statistics suggest. This is the most consistent and powerful time of year for Pipe.