Surf spot

apache pier

Forecast conditions and map view for apache pier in USA, South East, South Carolina. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, South East, South Carolina
Coordinates: 33.7625, -78.7813

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.8	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.4	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4
Wave direction	S	S	S	SE	SSE	SE	SSE	SSE	S	S	S	S	SSE	SSE	S	S	S	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	E	E	ESE	ESE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE
Wave period (s)	3	2.9	3.2	5.3	3.6	5	3.8	3.8	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.6	3.7	4.8	4.1	3.3	3.2	3.8	4.1	5.3	6.8	6.8	6.6	6.5	6.5	3.5	4	4.5	4.8	4.8	5.8	4.8	4.6	4.3	4.2	5.6	6.1	6.5	6.1	4.5	5.3	5.4	5.5	5.8	6.8	5.5	4.8	4.4	3.7	4	3.7	3.7	3.7	3.6	3.5	3.5
Wave energy (kJ)	2	2	2	4	2	5	3	7	8	8	7	5	4	7	5	4	4	4	4	6	9	9	9	8	8	4	5	13	17	18	14	24	22	13	10	16	22	18	17	23	22	34	30	29	12	27	16	12	9	7	6	6	6	5	4	4
Wind speed (km/h)	8.2	6.5	4.5	11.1	12.6	18.8	17.9	16.3	11.5	10.4	8.9	8.2	9.2	15.5	14	15	11.6	8.2	4.8	4.4	5.4	3.6	16.4	19.9	16	16	16.8	19.4	14.3	11.2	13.8	17.4	13.8	13.4	14.5	15.7	12.8	9.7	10.1	13	12.5	12.2	15	15	12.2	10.6	10.8	12.2	8.4	7.4	7.7	9.4	12.2	11.3	8	7.9
Wind direction	SWCross-on	WCross	WSWGlassy	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WNWGlassy	NGlassy	ENECross-off	NGlassy	ECross	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	ECross	ECross	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NNECross-off	NNEOffshore	NNECross-off	ENECross-off	ECross	ESECross-on	ECross	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ENECross	NECross-off	ENECross-off	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	SECross-on

Apache Pier is a well-known surf spot on the South Carolina coast, located in the Myrtle Beach area. It’s one of the longest wooden piers on the East Coast, and the surf breaks around the pier structure can produce decent waves, especially when a swell lines up with the right wind and tide.

What it’s like

Type of break: Pier break, mainly sandbar-driven with influence from the pier pilings
Wave quality: Can be fun and peaky, but generally not a high-performance, world-class wave
Best conditions: Small to medium swell, clean offshore winds, and a favorable tide
Crowds: Often crowded when conditions are good, especially with locals and vacation surfers

Surf character

Apache Pier tends to work best as a forgiving beachbreak with occasional punchy sections near the pier. The sandbars can shift frequently, so the wave shape changes over time. It’s usually better for intermediate surfers, though beginners may enjoy it on smaller days and experienced surfers can find fun, fast sections when the sand and swell cooperate.

Hazards and considerations

Strong currents can develop around the pier
Crowded lineup during good surf and holiday periods
Changing sandbars can make conditions inconsistent
Pier structure means extra caution is needed near the pilings

Best season

South Carolina surf is often most consistent in fall and winter, when Atlantic storms and cold fronts can generate stronger swells. Summer can still produce rideable surf, but it’s often smaller and less reliable.

Overall

Apache Pier is a classic South Carolina surf spot: accessible, popular, and capable of fun waves when conditions line up, though usually more about enjoyable beachbreak surfing than heavy or highly technical waves.