Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Water temp at Hickory Bay is sitting at 51°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Not a big deal, but nice to know.

We are looking at a slow start. The first real surfable window is shaping up pretty small. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are offering up some clean, smaller waves, but we're talking about 2 ft to 3 ft of swell from the south. It's clean, with light cross-offshore winds, but it's really a longboard or a foamboard kind of session. The energy is weak, so it's for the patient surfer looking to get wet.

Now, here is where it gets interesting, and a bit frustrating. Monday the 31st of August sees a big pulse of swell roll in. We've got a 12 ft plus SSW groundswell, with a 12-second period. The combined energy is massive, and the wind is clean from the northwest. The issue? That 12 ft swell is going to be way too big for Hickory Bay, which is a beginner-friendly break. Onshore wind ruins Tuesday the 1st, so cross that off.

The standout of the whole period, and the spot you want to be watching, is Wednesday the 2nd of September morning. That's the one. The swell drops back to a solid 6 ft from the south, with an 11-second period. The wind is a clean, gentle offshore from the northwest. This is the magic window. The energy is moderate, and the conditions are described as "very good". Afternoon stays clean too, with 5 ft waves. This is your best bet for a proper, quality session on a decent sized, clean wave.

After that, the swell slowly fades for a few days. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th offer some clean, smaller surf, but Saturday the 5th through Monday the 7th of September are mostly a write-off due to strong winds and poor conditions. There's a tiny spike on the late afternoon of the 7th with a short period 5 ft SE swell, but nothing special.

Then, we see another big spike at the very end of the window, but again, it's too big. Wednesday the 9th of September afternoon is absolutely pumping with a 15 ft SSW groundswell, 12 seconds period, and glassy conditions. The combined energy is off the charts. But for Hickory Bay, that's a washing machine for beginners and well into expert territory. The same goes for the 10th and 11th, with huge, clean swells that are too heavy for this break.

Finally, the period winds down on Saturday the 12th of September with a return to small, clean, glassy conditions. A 4 ft south swell with no wind is a nice way to finish, but again, it's a small wave day.

So, for the verdict: Don't waste your energy on the tiny stuff. Get on the Wednesday, 2nd of September morning. That's the one to circle on the calendar. Beginners need to be careful around the big pulses at the end of the forecast and remember that Hickory Bay can get slammed. If you are looking for clean, manageable waves, Wednesday is your day. For the experts, the end of the window is massive, but you'll need a lot of respect for that break.

Stay salty.
Rusty.

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