
Surf Forecasts:
Bonza Bay surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 13s period, SSE swell with 1,872 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period with E 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 16) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. 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 2.4m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 8s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Tue 11th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bonza Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Bonza Bay and, honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The river mouth is our only real option on the cards, and it’s a fairly consistent setup, but the wind and swell aren’t playing nice for most of this run. There’s a big gap of nothing special before we get to anything I’d call a proper session. Let’s get into it.
The water’s sitting at 64°, which is a couple of degrees cooler than it should be for this time of year – a bit of a shock to the system, so grab a thicker suit.
The first worthwhile surf pops up on Sunday morning, the 9th of August. We’ve got a 4ft SSW swell, with a 14-second period – that’s a nice groundswell with some real punch. The wind is a cross-offshore from the WSW at 16 mph, so the face will be clean. The combined energy is moderate, coming in at 748. It’s a solid option, but it’s not a standout for the whole period. The afternoon gets messy, so aim for the early.
Monday the 10th sees a drop-off. The morning has a 5ft S swell, but it’s a cross-shore wind that’s just not making it pretty. The afternoon is worse. Nothing to write home about.
From Tuesday the 11th through to the following week, it’s a real struggle. The wind is mostly cross or cross-on, and the swell gets lumpy. Tuesday morning has a 7ft SSE swell with a long 11-second period, but the onshore wind kills it. There’s some serious energy in the water on Tuesday afternoon (1576) and Wednesday (1180), but it’s windy and choppy. The crowd situation at Bonza Bay can be a bit of a problem sometimes, so even when it’s half-decent, you might be sharing waves.
The real standout, the one I’d circle on the calendar, is Sunday the 23rd of August. The morning brings a 5ft SSE swell, period around 10 seconds, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm from the east at 3 mph. That’s the kind of morning you dream about. The combined energy is moderate (776), and the conditions are described as glassy. It’s an intermediate-friendly size, but that clean, offshore wind will make it perfect for anyone who knows what they’re doing. This is the best on offer, no question.
After that, Monday the 24th has a big 6ft SSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, but the cross-shore wind keeps it from being perfect. Still, it’s a lot of energy (2012) and worth a look if you’re keen.
So, overall, there’s a long stretch of average to poor surf from the 9th to the 22nd, but that Sunday the 23rd is a true gem. Keep your eyes on that date.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 26mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 14°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Sun afternoon, light winds from the SE by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Wed morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | S 7 | SSE 8 | S 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 11 | SSE 11 | S 13 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
653 | 727 | 762 | 316 | 208 | 460 | 961 | 1285 | 579 | 650 | 463 | 516 | 333 | 307 | 273 | 209 | 271 | 320 | 255 | 463 | 516 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:23PM1.59m | 1:46AM1.74m | 2:20PM1.77m | 2:38AM1.86m | 3:06PM1.93m | 3:21AM1.96m | 3:45PM2.06m | 4:00AM2.01m | 4:22PM2.13m | 4:35AM2.02m | 4:58PM2.14m | 5:09AM1.99m | 5:31PM2.10m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:32PM0.77m | 8:08AM0.63m | 8:29PM0.62m | 8:52AM0.49m | 9:14PM0.49m | 9:30AM0.38m | 9:53PM0.40m | 10:06AM0.31m | 10:30PM0.36m | 10:39AM0.28m | 11:03PM0.37m | 11:11AM0.30m | 11:35PM0.43m | ||||||||
6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | |
— | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | E 9 | SSW 13 | S 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 11 | S 14 | S 13 | ESE 9 | SSW 11 | SE 8 | E 9 | ESE 7 | SSW 20 | E 7 | SSW 16 | E 10 | E 8 | E 8 | SSW 14 | E 8 |
653 | 64 | 93 | 316 | 208 | 460 | 460 | 1285 | 416 | 158 | 142 | 484 | 191 | 307 | 239 | 146 | 49 | 320 | 255 | 18 | 516 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | ENE 9 | E 10 | SE 8 | S 8 | SE 7 | E 10 | E 10 | S 12 | SSW 23 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 18 | E 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 12 | SSW 13 |
90 | 84 | 45 | 289 | 142 | 107 | 30 | 48 | 336 | 106 | 149 | 106 | 333 | 193 | 273 | 50 | 93 | 42 | 21 | 12 | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | E 10 | — | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 14 | S 13 | E 10 | S 8 | SW 23 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 | E 9 | S 9 | E 11 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 14 | — | S 12 |
5 | 68 | — | 24 | 102 | 213 | 13 | 73 | 131 | 266 | 180 | 195 | 64 | 15 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | — | 11 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 7 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | SSE 11 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | — | E 6 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
— | 727 | 762 | — | — | — | 961 | 170 | 579 | 650 | 463 | 516 | — | 232 | 261 | 209 | 271 | 403 | 375 | 463 | 765 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 52 | 301 | 0 | 52 | 52 | 492 | 853 | 34 | 468 | 492 | 124 | 204 | 404 | 34 | 273 | 435 | 34 | 54 | 255 | 21 |
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.











