Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming up for Hickory Bay.

To be honest, the next few days are a bit of a write-off for a decent paddle. We’ve got solid swell, but the wind is just not playing ball. Tuesday afternoon kicks things off with a 7ft swell from the ENE, but that cross-on SE wind at 12 mph is going to make it choppy and messy. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 52°F, about 3°F above average, which is a nice little bonus for the winter, but it won’t save the session. The combined energy is strong (1313), but for a beginner-friendly beach like this, that’s just too much power and bump. This trend holds through Wednesday and Thursday – the swell actually bumps up to 8ft and the wind swings onshore, making for poor conditions.

We finally get a window of hope on Saturday the 11th. The morning is looking absolutely magic with glassy conditions and a light 4ft groundswell from the south. The period is a very long 16 seconds, bringing proper energy (1115). This is a long-period groundswell, so it might be a bit straight at the beach, but for a point or reef, it would be world-class. For Hickory Bay, it’s still excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon cleans up even more with light offshore winds and 4ft surf. This is your standout session for the whole outlook – Saturday the 11th is the one to circle on the calendar.

After that, the swell drops off. Sunday the 12th sees small 3ft waves, and the wind is okay but the energy is weak (403). We get a brief spike on Monday the 13th with a 4ft north-east windswell, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’ll be a bit weak and crumbly. The next real highlight doesn’t show up until Wednesday the 15th, with a clean 3ft groundswell from the ESE, a 16-second period, and offshore winds. That’s a good one for the afternoon, with moderate energy (627).

Then, on Thursday the 16th, we’ve got another beauty for the experienced crew. The morning is glassy with a 5ft, 14-second groundswell from the ESE. The energy is punching strong (1106), and with zero wind, the surface will be like a mirror. This is a serious session for the crew that can handle it.

The outlook gets a bit rough toward the end of the second week. A big storm swell hits on Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th, with waves up to 13ft and strong onshore winds. The energy readings are massive (up to 3476), but it’s just a washout for surfing – honestly, that’s more of a kite-surfing setup if you’re into that. Things slowly settle down after that, with cleaner 4ft waves returning on Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st with offshore winds, but the energy is only moderate.

So, to boil it down: stick with Saturday the 11th, and keep an eye on Thursday the 16th. Don’t bother with the rest until the second week clears up.

Rusty

Read more