Bonza Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.99° S 27.94° E

Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 03 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bonza Bay sea temperature is
17.9° C
1.9° 

Bonza Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Bonza Bay surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 11s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 12s period, S swell with 6,026 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 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 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 1.0m 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 4.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Tue 4th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 10s
Best Surf 2PM (Mon 10th Aug)15ft (4.5m) 11s
Most Powerful 2AM (Tue 11th Aug)15ft (4.5m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bonza Bay over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s get into it. The outlook for Bonza Bay is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some clean moments early on, but then a whole lot of wind and swell that’s just too much for the river mouth setup. The best windows are tight, so you’ll need to pick your moments.

The first real chance to get wet is Wednesday morning, August 5th. That’s the standout. The swell is a clean 4ft from the east, with a period of 10 seconds, giving it moderate energy (392). The wind is glassy, dead calm – that’s a major positive. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Bonza Bay is a river mouth, and with that east swell and glassy conditions, it’s going to be clean and fun. It’s a fairly consistent spot, but it can get a crowd, so you might have some company. This is your best chance for a proper session.

After that, things get tricky. Thursday, August 6th drops off. The swell goes to 3ft from the SSW with a long 15-second period, but the winds are cross and then cross-onshore, making it choppy and poor. Not worth it.

Friday, August 7th has a cross-shore wind in the morning on a 3ft, 12-second SSW swell, but the quality is marginal. The afternoon gets hammered by a 35 km/h cross-wind, turning the 6ft swell into a lumpy mess. Skip it.

Saturday and Sunday, August 8th-9th are a write-off. The swell is coming from the SSW with moderate energy (around 600-700), but the wind stays moderate to fresh, keeping the surface ugly. The Sunday afternoon swell jumps to 6ft with a massive energy spike (1097), but the wind is howling at 35 km/h. It’s a chop fest.

Then comes the big swell. From Monday, August 10th through Thursday, August 14th, the size jumps to 13ft to 15ft. That’s way too big for a river mouth like Bonza Bay. The combined energy numbers are in the thousands (4,511 to 8,471), which is extremely strong. The wind is also onshore or strong cross-shore for most of it. A couple of those morning windows look clean on paper, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is strictly for experts, and even then, it’s a risk. This setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The swell finally drops back down by Saturday, August 15th, with 6ft from the ESE (energy 759). The wind is a gentle cross-shore, but the quality is still marginal. It’s a step in the right direction, but not the magic of that Wednesday morning.

The last few days, from Sunday, August 16th onward, the swell is small (4ft to 8ft) but the wind is consistently cross or cross-onshore, often fresh. The energy is moderate (316 to 994), but the surface is a mess. There’s nothing to get excited about here.

So, to sum it up: Wednesday morning, August 5th is the clear winner. Get out there early, enjoy the glass, and make the most of the 4ft east swell. The rest of the 16-day window is a lot of waiting for the big stuff to pass and the wind to ease. It’s a tough run, but that one session is a beauty.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed night, min 16°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the SW by Sun afternoon).

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
1
2
2
1
1
1
0
2
1
0
3
1
1
2
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
ESE
10
1.5
ESE
10
1.6
ESE
10
1.5
E
10
1.3
E
10
1.2
E
10
0.9
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
14
1.1
SSW
13
1
SSW
12
1.8
SSW
7
1.6
SSW
9
1.1
SSW
14
1
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
1
SSW
13
1.7
SSW
14
1.4
SSW
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
551
425
473
440
319
257
362
309
316
390
283
288
407
478
384
264
342
1095
483
Wind (km/h)
10
NNE
10
NE
20
ENE
10
N
5
ENE
10
NE
20
SW
15
SW
15
SSW
5
ENE
10
SW
35
SW
15
WSW
25
NE
20
ENE
15
WSW
25
SW
35
SW
40
SSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
6:46AM1.76m
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
Low Tide
00:45AM0.60m
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
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:56
6:56
6:54
6:54
6:52
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:30
5:31
5:31
5:32
5:34
5:34
5:35
 mm
16
Temp °C
18
22
23
21
23
23
24
19
20
19
20
19
16
18
22
19
18
18
14
Feels °C
15
18
19
18
20
20
20
18
18
19
20
16
10
13
17
18
14
13
7
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  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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