
Surf Forecasts:
Bonza Bay surf forecast from 4 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SSW swell with 3,264 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 5 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period with SE 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 (Jul 05) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bonza Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 07) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sun 5th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bonza Bay over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
G'day, Rusty here. Look, I'm not gonna lie to ya – the next 16 days at Bonza Bay are a real mixed bag, and you'll need to pick your moments. The first decent offering doesn't show up until the morning of Sunday the 5th, and even then, it's all about timing. There's a bit of a gap after that, with nothing really worth paddling out for until the following week.
Sunday morning, the 5th of July, is where it's at. We've got a clean 5ft SE swell rolling in with a solid 12-second period, giving it a nice bit of push. The combined energy is sitting at 634 (moderate), and with a light NNE breeze blowing cross-off, the surface is gonna be clean. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Bonza Bay is a river mouth, exposed to the S swell, and with an optimum swell from the South, this SE swell is in the right ballpark. Expect some fun, chest-to-head-high waves. Just a heads up, it can get a bit busy here sometimes, so you might have some company.
Monday the 6th drops right off. The swell fades to 3ft, and the energy drops to 203 (weak). Monday afternoon goes glassy, but it's pretty ordinary. Tuesday the 7th is tiny, with a 2ft SSW swell and a very long 14-second period. That long period will make for some drawn-out lines, but there's just not enough size to get excited about. The energy is a weak 182.
We get a bit of a spike on Wednesday the 8th, but the afternoon turns ugly with a fresh 22 mph cross-off and a 6ft swell that's only got a 7-second period – that's short-period wind slop, no good for a proper wave. The morning is a better bet with a 3ft SSW swell and clean conditions, but it's still marginal.
The big stuff starts showing up on Thursday the 9th. The morning has a solid 7ft S swell with a 12-second period, and the energy jumps to 1467 (strong). The wind is cross-off, keeping it clean. This is getting into the bigger range, so it's more for the experienced crew. By Thursday afternoon, it's up to 8ft, but the wind goes cross, creating some chop. Friday the 10th holds size at 8ft, but the wind is a mess – cross-onshore with rain showers. Not ideal.
Saturday the 11th is a write-off with strong onshore winds and rain. We're looking at poor conditions.
Then, a real standout. Sunday morning, the 12th of July. The swell has dropped a bit to 5ft from the S, with an 11-second period, and the energy is a moderate 733. But the wind – a light WSW cross-off – makes it glassy and clean. This is your best bet for the whole run. The waves will be well-shaped, and the paddling out will be easier with those longer gaps between sets. It's a river mouth, so that long-period energy will wrap in nicely. Get on it.
After that, it's a slow fade. Monday the 13th has a 6ft ESE swell, but the period is short at 9 seconds, so it'll be a bit lumpy. The rest of the week is a mix of cross-off winds and small, weak swells, nothing to write home about.
The following week gets interesting again. Friday the 17th of July afternoon sees a jump to 8ft SW swell with an 11-second period, and the energy is a strong 1647. The wind is cross-off, so it'll be clean. This is a big one for the experts.
But the big story is Saturday the 18th of July. The morning brings a massive 12ft SSW swell with a 11-second period and a combined energy of 4557 (very strong). The wind is offshore, 19 mph, so it'll be clean. However, the file says it's predicted to be too big for this break. This is a serious, life-threatening swell for the experienced only. If you're not a pro, don't even think about it. The afternoon is a mess, with a 22 mph cross wind making it lumpy.
The last few days see the swell drop back to 6ft and then 3ft by Monday the 20th. It's a whimper to end the run.
So, my pick: Sunday morning, the 12th of July. Clean, 5ft S swell, light offshore wind, and a moderate energy. That's the one to circle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Thu morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 5 | Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Sat 11 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 7 | SSW 10 | S 12 | SSW 12 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
699 | 583 | 398 | 263 | 159 | 124 | 82 | 133 | 163 | 138 | 297 | 237 | 1773 | 1459 | 1909 | 1543 | 1766 | 1712 | 1330 | 819 | 702 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:34AM1.76m | 7:08PM1.85m | 7:16AM1.69m | 7:53PM1.81m | 8:08AM1.61m | 8:50PM1.76m | 9:13AM1.53m | 10:00PM1.73m | 10:37AM1.50m | 11:21PM1.73m | 12:05PM1.54m | 00:37AM1.78m | 1:20PM1.65m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 00:35AM0.71m | 12:43PM0.61m | 1:17AM0.76m | 1:23PM0.68m | 2:08AM0.81m | 2:12PM0.75m | 3:11AM0.86m | 3:15PM0.82m | 4:31AM0.88m | 4:36PM0.86m | 5:58AM0.83m | 6:05PM0.83m | 7:10AM0.74m | 7:21PM0.75m | |||||||
— | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | |
5:13 | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Temp °C | 17 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 28 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 |
Feels °C | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 25 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | S 12 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 |
699 | 583 | 398 | 263 | 159 | 124 | 82 | 133 | 163 | 138 | 297 | 198 | 834 | 1459 | 1423 | 1543 | 1766 | 1712 | 1330 | 819 | 702 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SW 10 | SW 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 7 | SW 12 | SE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 14 | E 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | SSE 7 | E 6 |
64 | 24 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 24 | 67 | 49 | 37 | 36 | 23 | 12 | 377 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 108 | 91 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | NE 8 | E 10 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | — | ENE 8 | SSE 7 |
39 | 27 | 14 | 47 | 44 | 60 | 21 | 16 | 48 | 36 | 22 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 7 | — | 6 | 82 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 3 | ENE 4 | — | — | — | NE 7 | — | SSW 3 | — | SW 4 | SSW 7 | SSW 10 | — | SSW 12 | — | — | — | — | ESE 6 | — |
— | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 71 | — | 5 | — | 14 | 237 | 1773 | — | 1909 | — | — | — | — | 113 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 182 | 301 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 0 | 52 | 4 | 34 | 427 | 455 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











