Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been looking at the charts for Bonza Bay. The next couple of weeks have a bit of a mixed bag, but there are some real windows of opportunity if you’re patient.

Right now, the surf is a bit average. Friday the 17th kicks off with some knee-to-waist high, 3ft to 5ft SSW swell, but that cross-shore wind is putting a little chop on it. The vibe is marginal, not worth rushing out for. The combined energy’s sitting at 488 to 762 (moderate), so there’s some push, but it’s not clean.

Things start to look up on Saturday morning the 18th. We’ve got a 4ft S swell, period 12 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-offshore. That’s clean, and the energy is 690 (moderate). It’s the best of the first few days, but it’s not a standout for the whole window.

The real standout for this stretch is Tuesday the 21st. The morning is glassy – zero wind – with a 4ft SE swell, period 11 seconds. The energy is 456 (moderate), but it’s glassy. Then Tuesday afternoon gets even better: glassy again, with a 3ft SSW swell, but the period jumps to 15 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, and at Bonza Bay, a river break, it’ll shape up nicely. The energy is 573 (moderate), and the conditions are “very good”. That afternoon session is the pick of the first week.

Now, keep an eye on Friday the 24th. The morning is a bit messy – 6ft SSW swell, 16-second period, energy of 1714 (strong) – but the wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s marginal. But the afternoon? That’s where it’s at. 5ft SSW swell, 15-second period, glassy conditions, and the energy is 1098 (strong). This is “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers”. That’s a big call, and with the swell over 5ft, it’s a little too powerful for beginners, but for the crew who know what they’re doing, it’s a cracker.

Saturday the 25th could be a bomb if the wind plays ball. The morning has a 6ft SSW swell with an 18-second period, energy of 2420 (very strong). The wind is light cross, so it’s rideable, but the afternoon gets hammered by a 40 km/h cross-shore, making it a mess. That morning window is for experts only – 6ft is too big for most.

The end of the month and into August fades out. Sunday the 26th gets huge – 12ft S swell, but the wind is strong and the period is short (9-10 seconds). That’s not surfable, it’s a washing machine. From the 28th onwards, we’re back to small 3ft to 4ft E swells, short period (7-8 seconds), and while the 31st has a glassy morning with 4ft, it’s weak energy (286). The window is pretty much done by then.

So, the best on offer: Tuesday afternoon the 21st for the glassy, long-period groundswell. And if you’re an experienced surfer, Friday afternoon the 24th is a true standout – excellent conditions, solid swell, glassy. Don’t sleep on those. Crowds are possible at Bonza Bay, so get out there early.

Rusty.

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