Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the latest look at what’s cooking for Bonza Bay. We’ve got a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, but there’s definitely some juice on the horizon if you’re patient.

The overall pattern starts with a solid pulse of SSW groundswell, but the wind is going to mess with the quality for a few days. The real standout in the first week is a mid-week window that looks bloody good for experienced surfers. Then, into the second week, we’ve got some promising E swell that could be a treat, but it’s a bit further out, so keep that in mind.

Let’s start with the first recommendation. On Wednesday morning, 22 July, the conditions are prime. The water’s a chilly 63°, which is a whopping 5° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit. The swell is 4 ft from the SSW with a long 13-second period, giving it good shape and energy (792). The wind is out of the east at 3 mph and glassy. That’s a perfect combo for clean waves at the river mouth.

Now, the stand-out session for the whole forecast. On Tuesday morning, 28 July, Bonza Bay is going to pump. The swell jumps to a solid 8 ft from the S, with a short 9-second period, so it’s windswell, but the energy is massive (2111). The wind is light WSW at 9 mph and cross-offshore, keeping the waves clean. This is excellent surf, but that 8 ft is expert territory – it’s too big for beginners. The period is short, so expect punchy, dumpy waves at the river mouth. Don’t expect any crowds, as it’s usually only “sometimes” busy.

Moving through the rest of the first week, things get messy. Thursday and Friday have cross-shore winds that chop things up. The swell sticks around 3 ft to 4 ft, but the wind is no good. Friday afternoon sees a 8 ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, which is a very long period groundswell. That energy (2534) is strong, but the cross-onshore wind from the S at 6 mph messes it up. For a river mouth, that long period can make the waves break too straight, so it’s a gamble.

The weekend is a write-off. Saturday morning has a nice 4 ft SSW swell (832) but the wind is cross-onshore. Saturday afternoon has 16 mph ENE winds, making it poor. Sunday is even worse with tiny 3 ft to 3 ft swell and strong cross-shore winds.

There’s a bit of a gap for a few days there. Then, on Friday morning, 31 July, we get a little tease. The swell is 4 ft from the SSW (742) with a 14-second period, and the wind is WSW at 9 mph, cross-offshore, so it’s clean. That’s a decent morning session.

Now, into the second week, things look promising. On Sunday morning, 2 August, we’ve got a new swell from the east. It’s 8 ft at 9-second period, so it’s windswell, but the energy is moderate (876). The wind is glassy at 3 mph from the ESE. That’s a clean, fun morning, but it’s big at 8 ft, so it’s pushing into expert territory for the river mouth.

The best bet in the second week, though, is Wednesday morning, 5 August. The swell is 8 ft from the east with an 11-second period, which is a nice groundswell. The energy is strong (1299), and the wind is glassy at 3 mph from the SSW. That’s a gorgeous morning for experienced surfers – clean, powerful waves. The east swell is coming from the optimum direction for Bonza Bay, so it should line up well at the river mouth.

After that, Thursday and Friday get messy again with strong winds and lumpy conditions. The swell drops to 6 ft to 7 ft from the SSW, but the wind is up to 25 mph, making it a mess.

Overall, the standout is the Tuesday morning, 28 July session for experts, and the Wednesday morning, 5 August session is a solid backup. The first week has a beauty of a morning on Wednesday, 22 July, if you want a glassy start. For the rest, just pick your windows wisely.

Rusty.

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