Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Bonza Bay and I gotta be straight with you – the next sixteen days are a real mixed bag, but there’s a couple of golden windows if you’re patient. We’ve got a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions kicking things off, but the swell energy is going to be cranking at times, especially towards the end of the first week and into the second.

We start off with a bit of a dud. Tuesday afternoon the 25th of August – the swell is there at 6 ft from the SSW, with a solid 16-second period, giving us a massive 1598 (moderate) combined energy. But the wind is a cross-shore from the southwest at 12 mph, and it’s choppy. The water is sitting at 67°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. Honestly, it’s a write-off. Wednesday the 26th looks even worse – the swell jumps to 8 ft from the S with a 17-second period and energy hits 3734 (strong), but the wind is a cross-onshore from the ENE at 6 mph, and by the afternoon it’s up to 16 mph, making it a total mess. Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th morning are still poor, with strong cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions.

Then, finally, a bit of life. Friday morning the 28th of August – the wind drops to nothing, glassy conditions. The swell is 6 ft from the E, with a 10-second period, and the energy is 1038 (moderate). It’s clean, but it’s a short period, so the waves will be a bit weaker and more crumbly. Still, for a surfer who’s been waiting, it’s a real treat. The wind is glass, and that’s a major positive. The downside? It’s a river mouth, so that long-period, straight-breaking swell from the S we had earlier isn’t going to be perfect here, but this E swell will wrap in nicely. It’s a standout for the first week, but it’s not huge.

The next few days are a write-off again. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are poor, with strong winds and messy surf. The swell drops right off, with energy under 400 (weak). Monday the 31st of August through to Tuesday the 1st of September is more of the same – small, weak, and choppy. There’s a big gap of nothing here.

Now, here’s the big one. Wednesday morning the 2nd of September. Holy moly. The swell is a monster 15 ft from the SW, with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is a whopping 11182 (very strong). That’s a serious groundswell. But it’s a double-edged sword. The wind is a cross-shore from the SW at 19 mph, and the forecast says it’s too big for this break. This is only for experts, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. The energy is insane, but the quality is going to be brutal. The river mouth won’t handle that size well. It’s a spectacle, not a session. I’d look at this for a tow-in crew, but for paddle surfing, it’s a pass.

Thursday the 3rd of September is a bit better – 7 ft from the S, 11-second period, 959 energy (moderate), but the wind is a light cross-onshore from the SSE at 6 mph. It’s marginal, but it’s a step down. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are both poor again, with strong cross-shore winds and messy conditions.

The second week offers a glimmer on Monday morning the 7th of September. The wind is offshore from the NNW at a slight 3 mph, clean. The swell is 4 ft from the S, with a 13-second period, and energy of 1220 (weak). It’s a bit small, but the offshore wind will make it glassy and lined up. The period is long enough for some decent shape, but it’s a point break at a river mouth, so that long-period S swell might be a bit straight. Still, it’s the best of the second week. The rest of the days up to the 9th are small, weak, and cross-on, not worth a paddle.

The standout for the whole period? I’d say Friday morning the 28th of August – that glassy, 6 ft E swell at Bonza Bay. It’s clean, it’s manageable, and the energy is moderate. It’s not epic, but it’s the best wave-to-wind ratio we’ve got. The other standout is a warning: Wednesday the 2nd of September – that 15 ft SW swell is a beast, but it’s too big for this spot. If you’re a strong, experienced surfer and you’re looking for a challenge, go check it, but expect a beating.

There are long gaps of a few days here with no real hope – from the 29th to the 31st, and again from the 3rd to the 6th. It’s a tough run, but the couple of good windows are worth waiting for.

Rusty.

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