Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this stretch of water is going to be a fickle beast for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a lot of wind, plenty of rain, and a few swells that are just too big for our bones. The first real window doesn’t show up until the 14th, and even then, it’s a case of "right idea, wrong size." The standout moments are scarce, so you’ll have to pick your spots carefully.

The Overview: We’re looking at a two-week stretch where the ocean is mostly messy. The opening days are too big for this river mouth, and the middle of the period gets blown out. There’s a glimmer of hope near the end of the first week, and then a proper, clean day on the 23rd that looks like the pick of the lot. After that, it’s back to cross-shore chop and rain squalls.

Monday, 14th (Afternoon): It all kicks off with a stormy afternoon. The swell’s pushing 10 ft from the east with a 10-second period, and while the wind is just a light cross-onshore, that’s way too much water for Bonza Bay (Eastern Cape). The water is sitting at 64.2°F, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year. The energy reading is 1855, which is strong, but it’s just going to crumble and close out. It’s not surfable; it’s a washing machine.

Tuesday, 15th: Swell drops a bit to around 6.2 ft in the morning, but it’s still too messy with a light cross-onshore, and the forecast is marginal at best. The afternoon drops to 5.6 ft, but the ENE wind kicks up to 15 km/h and puts a chop on it. Skip it.

Wednesday, 16th: The morning is a write-off. A fresh 35 km/h SW cross-shore wind with rain, and the swell is a weak 4.3 ft. The afternoon swings to a 6.9 ft SSW swell with a short 7-second period. The wind goes cross-offshore, which cleans it up, but that short period is just not going to give you any shape on a river mouth. Too lumpy and raw.

Thursday, 17th & Friday, 18th: These days are all about persistent onshore winds and rain. Thursday’s got a 4.6 ft bump in the morning, building to 7.2 ft by the arvo with a 30 km/h SE wind. Friday’s the same story: 5.9 ft to 7.5 ft of east swell with a strong cross-onshore wind. It’s all chop and lumps, and the wave energy jumps over 1000, but it’s not doing us any favors. These are days for staying dry.

Saturday, 19th: The swell jumps up to a solid 11.5 ft, and the energy reading is over 2700. Morning is ugly with 30 km/h cross-onshore winds. The afternoon goes a bit cross-shore, and the conditions are favorable for about ten minutes, but this swell is way too big for Bonza Bay. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a moving mountain. If you’re not a pro, stay well clear.

Sunday, 20th (The First Glimmer): This is the first proper standout. The morning is glassy—dead calm, zero wind. The swell is still a hefty 9.8 ft from the ESE with a 10-second period, and the energy is 1743. It’s big, but it’s clean. For the experts out there, this is your window. The set waves are going to be thick and powerful. The afternoon drops to 7.9 ft and the wind goes light cross-onshore, which is okay but not as good. If you only get one session this week, make it the Sunday morning paddle-out. It’s going to be a serious session.

Monday, 21st & Tuesday, 22nd: The flush of clean conditions gets ruined by a 30 km/h SSW cross-onshore

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