Bonza Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a bit of a waiting game on our hands this outlook. The first real surf worth paddling out for isn’t until Friday morning, the 21st of August. Before that, Thursday the 20th is a write-off with messy, lumpy conditions and a cross-shore breeze that’s just not worth the effort.

So, Friday morning the 21st is where we start. Bonza Bay wakes up with some clouds overhead and a glassy, light air. The swell is a clean 5 ft from the SSW with a nice 12-second period. That’s a proper groundswell, and combined wave energy is moderate at 610. The wind is dead calm, glassy. This is a genuine standout for the period. Because the swell is long period, it’ll be better shaped than usual, but at a river break, keep an eye on it – it might fatten up a bit. The water is running a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 65°, which is a notable 3° below average.

Saturday the 22nd is a no-go. Strong winds and a drop in quality. Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are only marginal, with cross-shore winds and weak, choppy energy. We’re looking at a few days of meh conditions.

Then, Tuesday morning the 25th of August is another absolute beauty. The sky is clear, there’s a slight air, and the wind is cross-offshore from the NNE. The swell is 5 ft from the SSW, but the period is a very long 15 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is strong at 1047. This is for experienced surfers. The long period means it’ll be powerful and well-shaped, but at a river break like Bonza, it might be a bit too straight for some. Expect clean, lined-up sets. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, but with a morning this good, it’s worth the gamble.

The rest of the week into early September is pretty grim. We get a few days of cross-shore chop and poor conditions. The wind keeps shifting, and the swell energy drops off. There’s a big spike in size on Sunday the 30th of August, with 10 ft to 12 ft from the SSE, but the period is short and the wind is onshore. That kind of size at this break is not for paddling – it’s more of a kite-surfing setup if anything.

The last real glimmer comes on Wednesday morning, 2nd of September. The swell is 6 ft from the SSW with a 13-second period, combined energy at 946. But the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the ENE, which will put a bit of a chop on it. It’s marginal, not a standout.

Overall, the best of the lot is Friday morning the 21st for the glassy conditions, and Tuesday morning the 25th for the power and size. Get out there if you can.

Rusty

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