Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, check it out. Hickory Bay (Banks Peninsula) is the only spot on the map for this whole stretch, so we’ve got one wave to watch. It’s a pretty exposed beach setup, and it’s fairly consistent, so there’s usually something happening, but it’s not always gonna be pretty. Water temp is sitting around 52°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a small win.

The next few days are pretty flat and ordinary. Tuesday the 8th is just weak, short-period slop with a cross-off breeze. Not worth getting wet for. Wednesday the 9th sees a bit of a bump in size and the wind goes offshore in the morning. We’re talking ankle to waist-high lines, so it’s not going to be a classic, but the conditions are clean. It’s a beginner-friendly size too. The arvo turns into a bit of a cross-off mess and the swell jumps up a notch but the forecast isn't great.

Then things get a bit weird. From Thursday the 10th into Friday the 11th, a proper longer-period south swell shows up. The energy jumps into the moderate range, and Friday morning looks like the pick of the early run: clean, offshore wind, chest-high sets. The problem is the swell direction is mostly south, which is okay for this spot, but the period is long, and beach breaks can get a little straight and closed-out when the swell gets too long. Still, Friday arvo with light offshore winds and that same pulsing energy? That’s probably the best you'll see until things go sideways.

Saturday the 12th is a hard no. The swell just explodes, with four-digit energy numbers. It’s way overhead, pushing 10ft, and it’s just too big for this place. It’s a giant, unruly mess. Sunday, the 13th, is still well overhead and too big, and the wind is all over the shop. By Monday the 14th, we see the swell dropping. The morning is still too big, but the afternoon comes back into the fun zone: head-high with a light offshore wind. That’s a solid window.

Tuesday the 15th is back to cleaner, smaller surf. Waist to chest-high, offshore wind, and clean. A classic ‘fun, user-friendly’ kinda day. Then Wednesday the 16th, the wind turns onshore and it gets lumpy, with the swell getting short-period. It's messy. Thursday the 17th is a full-on washout. Rain, wind, and a massive 16ft swell hitting the coast with a huge amount of energy. That’s not surfing, that’s survival. It’s a no-go.

The weekend looks rough. Friday the 18th morning might offer some hope with a drop in size and a cross-off wind, but the afternoon turns to crap. Saturday the 19th is too big and junky, and Sunday the 20th is tiny and weak again. That’s a solid stretch of nothing. The start of the following week is still poor. Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd are messy, with more onshore wind and lumpy conditions.

It’s not until Wednesday the 23rd that we see it finally come back together. A clean, glassy day with head-high waves and light winds, looking really good. The energy is moderate, and the conditions are clean. That might be the real standout of the whole run, even if it’s for the next week. The near-term stuff is a bit of a wash, but that Wednesday looks worth circling on the calendar. For now, keep your board dry and don’t be tempted by the big stuff—it’s just a closeout machine.

Rusty.

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