Bonza Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.99° S 27.94° E

Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 23 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bonza Bay sea temperature is
18.8°C
0.9° 

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 23 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 17s period, S swell with 4,137 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period with S 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Bonza Bay in the next 16 days are 2.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) 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 3.0m 9s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Sun 23rd Aug)5ft (1.5m) 10s
Best Surf 8PM (Tue 25th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 16s
Most Powerful 5PM (Wed 26th Aug)8ft (2.5m) 17s

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 we've got coming down the line for Bonza Bay.

First up, the water temp is sitting at about 66°, which is a bit cooler than usual for this time of year, down by about 2°. Not a huge shock, but you'll be wanting a spring suit if you're out there for a session.

Honestly, the next few days are a bit of a write-off. We are looking at a slow start. It's not until Tuesday morning, the 25th of August, that things start to show any real promise. That morning, we’ve got a solid 4ft SSW swell with a long 13-second period, pushing a strong wave energy of 1018. The wind is light and cross-shore, which will keep it fairly clean. It’s a bit of a standout for the early part of the week, and the long period groundswell should wrap nicely into the river mouth here at Bonza Bay. The crowd potential is "sometimes", so you might get a few out, but it's worth a look.

The real standout, the one you've been waiting for, is the Saturday afternoon of the 5th of September. The models are showing a monster 10ft SSW swell, with a long 16-second period and a massive combined energy of 4081. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, which is a bit of a bummer, but it's still rideable. That said, at 10ft, this is comfortably in the expert-only zone. It's going to be a big, powerful, and intimidating wall of water, not for the faint-hearted. This is a call for the experienced crew only.

In between, there are a few other sessions to keep an eye on. The Tuesday afternoon of the 25th has a decent 5ft, 16-second groundswell, but the cross-shore wind picks up a bit, making it a little lumpy. The Friday morning of the 4th of September also looks promising with a 7ft SW swell, clean offshore wind, and moderate wave energy of 1238, but it's not quite as clean as the Tuesday morning.

A quick heads-up: the period from the 26th of August through to the 3rd of September is mostly a write-off due to strong winds and poor conditions. The waves are there, but the wind just ruins the face. The 26th afternoon has an 8ft swell but with a 25 km/h cross-onshore wind. It's a messy, choppy mess. The 27th has strong, 45 km/h winds, making it unsurfable.

To sum it up: the first real window is Tuesday morning, the 25th of August. It's a solid, clean session. But the big one, the one to circle on the calendar, is the 5th of September. It's a long way out, so don't bet the house on it, but if it comes together, it'll be a day for the books.

Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Warm (max 34°C on Sat morning, min 17°C on Wed afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ENE on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri morning).

Sun
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
1
1
3
3
2
3
1
0
0
0
0
4
3
2
3
2
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
S
10
1.3
S
10
0.9
S
8
1
S
11
1.3
SSW
15
1.3
SSW
13
1.6
SSW
16
1.4
SSW
15
1.9
S
17
2.5
S
17
2.1
S
14
1.3
S
12
1.6
S
12
2
E
9
1.3
S
12
1.3
S
12
1.3
SSE
11
1.7
E
10
0.7
SSE
11
2
E
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
496
326
112
251
775
530
1271
773
2117
4137
1614
513
759
685
472
456
446
539
126
818
Wind (km/h)
15
S
10
N
10
S
5
SE
5
W
10
SSW
15
SSW
10
W
15
ESE
25
E
35
NE
45
NE
45
ENE
5
WSW
5
E
15
ENE
15
NE
20
N
30
NE
15
NE
Wind State
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
on
glassy
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
High Tide
1:43AM1.50m
2:17PM1.58m
2:20AM1.63m
2:46PM1.72m
2:50AM1.74m
3:12PM1.84m
3:18AM1.85m
3:38PM1.95m
3:46AM1.93m
4:04PM2.03m
4:14AM1.98m
4:31PM2.09m
4:43AM1.99m
Low Tide
7:39PM0.95m
7:59AM0.79m
8:18PM0.81m
8:30AM0.65m
8:48PM0.68m
8:58AM0.53m
9:16PM0.55m
9:25AM0.43m
9:44PM0.45m
9:52AM0.35m
10:11PM0.37m
10:18AM0.30m
10:39PM0.34m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:35
6:35
6:33
6:31
6:31
6:30
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:44
5:45
5:45
5:45
5:46
5:47
5:47
 mm
3
1
Temp °C
19
17
18
19
17
17
18
18
17
17
18
19
22
21
25
25
25
34
33
27
Feels °C
15
17
16
17
17
16
16
17
15
14
13
12
15
20
23
23
22
30
29
24
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • 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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