Surf Forecasts:
Bonza Bay surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, E swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 14 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, E swell with 2,245 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bonza Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Bonza Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bonza Bay in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 14) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bonza Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let's have a look at the charts for Bonza Bay. That's a river mouth setup, and it's exposed to a south swell, but the window's been a bit all over the place.
We're kicking off with a few days of nothing good. The Saturday and Sunday you'd be fighting a strong cross-shore wind and lumpy, messy waves. The combined energy is low (316 to 339) showing weak, short-period chop. Not worth getting wet.
But then, hold onto your board for Monday the 14th. The morning is still a bit messy with a cross-on wind and 8.2ft of average-period swell (1394 combined energy), but the afternoon turns it on. The wind drops to glassy, dead calm. The swell is still a solid 8.2ft from the East with a 10-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1491 (moderate to strong energy). That's excellent surf for experienced surfers. The 8.2ft height is pushing it for beginners, and it's a river mouth, so those longer-period sets could unload a bit on the bank, but with glassy conditions, it's the standout of the whole forecast. Because this is a river mouth, that longer period energy (10 seconds is decent) should wrap in nicely. The water temp is about average for the time of year.
After that Monday afternoon, it falls apart again. Tuesday the 15th has a cleaner look in the morning with a cross-off wind from the WSW, but the swell drops to 5.9ft (749 combined energy), and it's only marginal. The rest of the week is a mix of choppy onshores and small, weak swell, with Wednesday and Thursday seeing combined energy drop below 600.
We get another blip of interest around the 23rd of September, a week and a half away. The morning of Wednesday the 23rd has a clean-looking onshore wind, but the 5.6ft swell is coming from the SW at 11 seconds, which is a good direction for the break. The combined energy is 1475, which is strong. However, it's a long-range call, so less certain. The Thursday the 24th looks similar but with a cross-on breeze, so a little rougher.
The very end of the run, into the 27th of September, shows a long-period, 16-second swell from the South, but again the winds are messy and the rating is marginal. That long period is better suited to a point or reef, and at a river mouth, it can make the wave straighten out.
Overall, the clear standout is Monday afternoon, September 14th at Bonza Bay. Glassy, 8.2ft East swell, excellent conditions if you've got the skill. The rest of the 16-day window is mostly a write-off, with that Wednesday the 23rd morning being the only other potential, but far less certain.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Sat night, calm by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the S by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 8 | E 6 | SSW 18 | E 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 107 | 134 | 565 | 857 | 1208 | 1210 | 2245 | 1535 | 1394 | 813 | 603 | 450 | 325 | 279 | 244 | 511 | 297 | 428 | 450 | 457 | 460 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:28PM2.13m | 4:39AM1.98m | 4:56PM2.08m | 5:07AM1.92m | 5:24PM1.99m | 5:33AM1.83m | 5:49PM1.86m | 5:59AM1.71m | 6:14PM1.72m | 6:26AM1.58m | 6:39PM1.57m | 6:57AM1.43m | 7:08PM1.41m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:11AM0.24m | 10:34PM0.30m | 10:39AM0.27m | 11:02PM0.35m | 11:07AM0.33m | 11:28PM0.43m | 11:34AM0.44m | 11:56PM0.53m | 12:01PM0.57m | 00:24AM0.66m | 12:29PM0.73m | 00:55AM0.79m | 1:01PM0.89m | 1:39AM0.93m | |||||||
 | |  |  |  | | | | | |  |  | |  |  |  | |  | | |  | |
 | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — |
 | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — |
mm | — | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 5 | 4 |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
| kJ | 107 | 84 | 565 | 688 | 487 | 366 | 1420 | 1535 | 1394 | 813 | 603 | 450 | 325 | 279 | 244 | 511 | 297 | 428 | 450 | 457 | 460 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 | SW 11 | SSW 14 | E 10 | S 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 83 | 85 | 52 | 55 | 6 | 2 | 187 | 131 | 111 | 62 | 65 | 92 | 206 | 121 | 158 | 161 | 161 | 125 | 96 | 94 | 301 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | SSW 16 | SE 8 | S 11 | — | — | — | SW 13 | — | SSW 5 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | — | SSW 13 | E 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | E 9 |
| kJ | 63 | 47 | 28 | 10 | — | — | — | 437 | — | 4 | 29 | 21 | 100 | 128 | — | 137 | 158 | 111 | 104 | 106 | 43 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | E 6 | E 7 | E 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 4 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 12 | 134 | 377 | 857 | 1208 | 1210 | 2245 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 137 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 249 | 301 | 455 | 492 | 455 | 439 | 99 | 107 | 0 | 52 | 52 | 18 | 23 | 52 | 4 | 492 | 478 | 0 | 25 | 301 | 34 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Bonza Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bonza Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bonza Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bonza Bay 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 (Bonza Bay) 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 Bonza Bay 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.
Bonza Bay is 7 km (4 miles) from the city of East London. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in East London. East London has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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