Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and here’s the surf outlook for Bonza Bay.

Right off the bat, Bonza Bay is a river-mouth setup that’s exposed to the south. The water temp is sitting at 67°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. The 16-day period kicks off with a bit of a wait—there’s no real surf to get excited about from Sunday, August 2nd, through to Tuesday, August 5th. The swell is there, around 5ft to 8ft from the ESE, but the wind is cross or cross-shore all the way, and the wave comment keeps saying “marginal.” It’s just not clean enough to bother with. That’s a solid few days of nothing.

Then, on Wednesday morning, August 5th, we get a little window. The swell drops to 4ft from the east, period at 10 seconds, and the wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the NNE. That’s clean, and the wave energy is moderate at 341. It’s not a standout, but it’s a start. The afternoon sees the cross-off breeze fade to a cross-shore, so the morning is the pick of that day.

Thursday, August 6th, is a write-off—cloudy, cross-shore winds, and a messy SSW swell. Not worth the paddle.

But hold onto your board, because Friday, August 7th, is the real gem. The morning is glassy—wind from the ESE at 3 mph, dead calm, and the swell comes in at 3ft from the south with a period of 12 seconds. The wave energy is moderate at 507, and the comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s the standout of the whole outlook. Clean, glassy, and fun-sized. Get on it.

Saturday morning, August 8th, is also glassy, with a light SSW swell at 3ft and a 14-second period, giving moderate energy at 447. It’s another clean session, but the swell is smaller.

Now, Sunday, August 9th, is a big one—but not for paddling. The morning brings a massive 13ft SW swell with a 13-second period and wave energy screaming at 6713. The wind is gentle cross-shore, but the comment says it’s too big for this break. That’s a kite surfer’s dream, not a surfer’s. The afternoon gets worse with a 22 mph cross-shore wind and 7ft swell. Skip it.

Monday, August 10th, is messy in the morning, but the afternoon shows some promise: light rain, wind from the west at 9 mph cross-offshore, and a 5ft east swell with a short 8-second period. The wave energy is moderate at 592, and the comment is “expect very good surf conditions.” It’s a short-period swell, so it’s not the best shape, but it’s clean.

Tuesday through Thursday, August 11th to 13th, is a total mess. Heavy rain, onshore winds, and massive swells up to 13ft. The energy is through the roof—over 5000 in some cases—but the wind is onshore and strong, making it a no-go. The swell is too big and too windy for anything safe.

Then Friday, August 14th, is a cracker. The morning gives us a 7ft SE swell with a 10-second period, offshore wind from the WNW at 12 mph, and wave energy at 1154. The comment says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s a solid, clean, and powerful wave for the confident crew. The size is over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners, but it’s a standout.

The rest of the period fades out. Saturday, August 15th, is small and cross-shore, Sunday, August 16th, has a glassy morning with 4ft east swell and 9-second period—clean but small—and then Monday, August 17th, drops to nothing.

So, to wrap it up: the best session is Friday morning, August 7th—glassy and clean. The second standout is Friday morning, August 14th, for the experienced surfers. Everything else is a mix of marginal or too big.

Rusty

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