
Surf Forecasts:
Bonza Bay surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 11s period, SSE swell with 5,758 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period with ESE 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bonza Bay in the next 16 days are 5.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 10s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bonza Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Bonza Bay over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next few days are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some swell, but the quality is touch-and-go. The best window looks to be early on, but we’ve got a whole lot of nothing special before things get interesting for the big dogs later.
Tuesday, August 4th kicks things off with a clean 5ft from the ESE, but it’s a bit of a tease. The wind is light and cross, so it’s not blown out, but the combined energy is moderate at best (482). It’s a "marginal" call, probably more of a longboard session or a paddle than a proper surf. Not the best start.
Wednesday morning, August 5th is your best bet for the whole first week. We’re looking at a clean 4ft from the east, and the wind is glassy – absolute perfection for a river mouth like Bonza. The swell energy is weak (346), but with those conditions, it’ll be a fun, playful little wave. This is the standout for the next few days. After that, the wind swings around and the swell drops, so it’s a short-lived window.
From Thursday through to the weekend, it’s a struggle. The swell drops to under 3ft, the wind is mostly cross or cross-off, and the energy is weak. The water is sitting at 64°, which is over a degree below average for this time of year, so it’s a bit nippy. Nothing to write home about – a few small, choppy waves at best.
Now, hold onto your boards, because the second week gets wild. From Monday, August 10th onwards, a serious pulse of energy arrives. We’re talking 11ft to 16ft range from the south and southeast, with combined energy going through the roof (up to 5758). This is proper big-wave territory. The problem is, the wind is onshore and messy, creating lumpy, poor conditions. This is really only for the experienced crew, and honestly, it looks more like a kite-surfing show than a paddle session.
Tuesday, August 11th through Friday, August 14th sees the swell peaking at a massive 21ft from the east on the 12th, with incredible energy (11070). The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not totally blown out, but a 21ft wave at a river mouth is a whole different beast. This is experts-only territory, and even then, it’s going to be a heavy, dangerous paddle. The water is still cooler than average, so a 5/4 is a must.
Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th are the final chance for a decent wave. The swell drops to a more manageable 7ft on Saturday morning, with light cross-shore winds and moderate energy (1059). It’s still a bit big for beginners, but it could be a fun, powerful wave for the intermediates. Sunday morning offers a 5ft from the east with glassy conditions and weak energy (434), which is a nice, clean end to the run.
After that, it’s back to small, poor conditions for the rest of the forecast. A real tale of two weeks.
Stay safe out there, and don’t be a hero on those 20ft days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Wed night, calm by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 25°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, strong winds from the S by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
425 | 580 | 450 | 273 | 221 | 362 | 309 | 312 | 461 | 258 | 206 | 550 | 773 | 465 | 317 | 811 | 673 | 164 | 3052 | 5758 | 3862 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:15PM1.87m | 7:28AM1.65m | 8:04PM1.76m | 8:25AM1.52m | 9:12PM1.64m | 9:56AM1.42m | 10:53PM1.58m | 11:56AM1.45m | 00:35AM1.63m | 1:23PM1.59m | 1:46AM1.74m | 2:20PM1.77m | 2:38AM1.86m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:49PM0.56m | 1:26AM0.69m | 1:30PM0.67m | 2:20AM0.80m | 2:26PM0.80m | 3:40AM0.90m | 3:57PM0.91m | 5:38AM0.90m | 6:03PM0.90m | 7:10AM0.79m | 7:32PM0.77m | 8:08AM0.63m | 8:29PM0.62m | ||||||||
6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
— | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 8 | 4 | 5 |
Temp °C | 21 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 17 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 |
Feels °C | 17 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 6 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | E 10 | SSW 15 | E 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | ENE 10 | SE 13 |
425 | 473 | 450 | 273 | 221 | 211 | 53 | 312 | 461 | 258 | 206 | 550 | 773 | 465 | 190 | 811 | 169 | 135 | 81 | 132 | 113 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | E 10 | SSW 6 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | S 11 | E 9 | E 10 | SSW 13 | ENE 9 | SE 6 | SSW 12 | — | — | — |
57 | 56 | 31 | 30 | 41 | 362 | 117 | 36 | 90 | 87 | 61 | 184 | 61 | 65 | 317 | 132 | 2 | 164 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 18 | SSW 15 | SW 11 | E 10 | SSW 15 | E 10 | S 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | E 9 | — | — | SE 6 | SSE 6 | — | SE 6 | — | — | — |
— | — | 6 | 43 | 29 | 145 | 309 | 116 | 6 | 53 | 89 | 62 | — | — | 6 | 4 | — | 2 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 10 | ENE 6 | — | ENE 6 | — | SW 6 | SSW 6 | — | — | SSW 4 | — | ENE 3 | ENE 5 | WSW 2 | ENE 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 5 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 |
— | 580 | 160 | — | 60 | — | 105 | 66 | — | — | 8 | — | 6 | 40 | 1 | 243 | 673 | 78 | 3052 | 5758 | 3862 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 18 | 52 | 23 | 0 | 18 | 52 | 0 | 54 | 19 | 52 | 381 | 1872 | 1848 | 902 | 478 | 439 |
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.











